Pitching It Perfectly
by BecuzYo
Summary: Beca x Jesse fanfiction from Pitch Perfect. Beca's not used to feelings that aren't coming from making music, but she's got a lot of them nowadays and it's mostly directed at Jesse. Following Beca and Jesse's ups and downs after the finale. I don't own these characters or the music mentioned.
1. Chapter 1

Her mind is reeling, and she's pretty sure it's the high from the final set and the fact she's finally been honest with herself about Jesse. Beca's not sure what's happening, but she likes him more than she wants to. Jesse's positivity is contagious and he has a quick wit that can match her own; yet he had a sensitivity that would normally make her gag, but instead, makes her blush. He smiles constantly, his eyes twinkle with a boyish charm, and she finds it absurd how much she likes that. It rubs off on her and she finds herself smiling (even when she doesn't want to). Plus, when he sings, it's like _ear porn_.

She spent the last few days pulling together the set, and it had to be just right, not only for the Bellas, not only for Jesse, but for herself. She was going to put her all into it, into everything, because holding back, she found out, was so exhausting. In a way, she could relate to Aubrey's repressed nature, it's easier to withhold than to give, easier to control than to relinquish, but Beca felt ready now.

She realized, she wasn't in control of anything anymore. Her friendships had morphed even if she struggled against them, she loved the Bellas. She wasn't as angry at her father, though, she still glared at her stepmother, just...less these days. And then there was the boy. Sexual tension meshes with feelings she's not quite ready to talk about...just yet. _Too soon. Too early_. He had been her friend for the whole year, even when she didn't want him to, even when she didn't deserve it. He would pop by her room with a some random movie or snack, he would walk with her to the mailroom and back for "safety reasons", he'd let her come hang out in their room whenever Kimmy Jin was in a worse mood than usual. And somewhere, somewhere his flirtation and quirkiness wore at her, regardless of her struggle to "_not give five shits about Barden_."

So okay, she liked him, but he was not going to derail in her plans for LA, she had told herself. Nope, he's a distraction. A cute one, but a distraction. She's not the kind of girl who yearns for a boyfriend, she never wanted to be (the kind of girl who obsessively stalks Facebook to see if her crush has updated their relationship status). She loathes pathetic chicks like that. But now, she knows she's just checkmated his ass at the finale, and she needs to see the look on his face.

So he's there, turning towards her, saying something goofy and sexy at the same time, and all she could think to do was shut that sexy ass mouth of his but covering it with her own. And it's worth it, putting her soul on display on stage, the kiss magnetic and demanding, and he falls right into it as her hands stroke his face. Beca's sure she hears cat calls from the people around them, Donald's taking pictures with his cell phone and she hears the Bellas walking up behind them. But she doesn't care, it's in this moment she's bare and honest.

Jesse's like one of those songs you'd think you'd hate at first but it gets in your brain and buries itself there and you find yourself turning up the volume whenever it come on. He's a FloRida or Ke$ha song personified, you try not to like it, but you end up knowing all the words. That day in her room when he basically forced her to watch_ The Breakfast Club_ for god sakes, and actually shushed her; that would normally land a punch to the face, but she found him so endearing as he fist pumped in jest at the end, she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed. And really, she stopped caring what the fuck Judd Nelson was doing after awhile, because the 80's was his peak, and she couldn't help but to think Jesse was totally kissable at the moment. The way he suddenly looked over at her, his eyes dropping to her mouth and slowly lifting back up, she felt him drawing closer and she knew they were on dangerous ground. So she pulled back and let the moment pass, because she was unsure of herself and what she can give. It's her biggest flaw, pulling away.

She's sure Jesse's not perfect either, she can pick a million flaws out about him. He wants to see the good in everyone, a naiveté that can't work well in this ridiculous world, but still...not as bad as Benji. He can talk too much, he's obsessed with movies and soundtracks, and she couldn't care less about either one of those things, but what she does love is his passion for music matches hers with deejaying. She hates that he shushes her during one of his movie sessions, but it's funny because he's truly intense about the movie experience. He talks to his mom way more than a man in college should, and he can't whistle. But he can sing his ass off, something that really gets to her. It's effortless for him, and she kind of hates him for that, because she's just becoming free about her own talent in singing. And fuck it, he's hot in a nerdy way. He looks at her with open adoration, and a girl can only take so much of that without breaking.

So now, in this moment, she's giving him her all in front of a live audience. After they released each other's tonsils, and smiled sheepishly at the whistles, the rest of the night seemed like a blur of giggles and smiles. They won. The Bellas won, and they won from her fucking music. She felt Jesse's smile radiate on her back as the Bellas walked back towards the stage to receive their trophy and she's feels like a motherfucking boss right now. Aubrey's even hugging her, Chloe's got tears running down her cheeks, and the other girls are wrapping their arms around her as well. They want to party, get drunk, scream their lungs out, have a threesome (_No, Stacie, stop_), a host of other requests but all she wants to do is go back to making out with a certain boy in the audience. She'll celebrate with her aca-bitches later, because right now..._mama has to go tame that tiger_ (Fat Amy high fived that).

She hands the trophy over to Lily and walks purposely back towards the crowd to take care of business.

After the finals and after the intense make out session in front of an entire audience (and Fat Amy pointing out the fact "_You two just need to get it on, you've been fucking each other with your eyes for months._"), it's been a learning experience, being perceptive to others. For instance, Jesse likes holding hands a lot. They leave the competition together, he walks her back to her hotel room, both all smiles, hers a bit more brighter from both wins. They just exchanged bodily fluids with the kissing, but she wasn't prepared when he reached out for her hand. At first she jumped back as if shocked, like an attack and he retreated, causing her to mutter an apology. It was awkward and uncomfortable for a minute there, but he did it again a few moments later, undeterred, and she let it happen. So now he'll just think he can grab her hand anytime he wants? Probably, that's the way Jesse is and she's falling for him because of it. And he holds on firmly and comfortably, not even caring about her initial response. No fuss, no hesitation, he drops his hand beside hers and interlopes their fingers, giving her a toothy grin.

They reach her door, and she doesn't know where this is going to go. Her body, her stupid physical self, is begging for her to grab his jacket lapels and pull his fine ass into her room or fuck him right there in front of everyone in the hotel hall way. Tomorow, she'd have to get up super early to pack the van and head back to campus...and Kimmy Jin. She's all in tingly everywhere, and even though her time in New York is brief, it's been so worth it. She feels Jesse everywhere, all around her, and Beca's so thankful Amy and Stacie plan to crash in the other girls' rooms tonight. Not that she expects a fuckfest or anything. Maybe they will just talk about everything that happened between them this year. Yeah, talk..._with their pelvises_. Her mind screams a different story- patience, Stacie's voice- of all people- telling her -_don't be a skank, make him wait._

"This is your room?" he says and she can't hold in her snort.

"This is where I stay."

Now it seems like they don't know how to act around each other, where to go next. The silence is deafening and she could see he's having the same internal battle of the will as she was. Their eyes burn holes in each others' faces, standing awkwardly in the hall way.

_Fuck it. She gives up._

"Wanna come in?"

"God, yes," he sighs, relieved she made the first move. She's done that a lot tonight. He tried to act normal instead of overly excited. "I mean, sure. Cool. Whatever."

As she goes to open the door, he's instantly behind her, all male again, his body against hers, his breath on her neck. He moves her hair aside to expose skin, touching his full lips against it in a barely there kiss. "Thank goodness you're rooming with Amy. What if Kimmy Jin was here?"

She smirks, turning the key with force. "Then...she could watch."

She's sure her remark stunned him, he's always caught off guard by her wit. Before he can squeak out a reply, the door is open and she's pulling him in with her, because she's ready to give him everything tonight. Well...more than what he bargained for.

* * *

"You have tattoos." His voice is deep and vibrating against her back. She's laying lazily on her stomach, and he's got his head on her mid back, drawing circles around her tattoos. She could tell him how she got them, but she's absolutely exhausted from their activities. He wasn't exactly what she expected- she thought she'd get a nerdy clumsy Jesse, maybe gentle, unsure...pretty much a horny teenage boy. But there was something about the way he opened his eyes and looked at her he glided on top of her...yeah, she'll keep him. "Here's another, how many do you have?"

"You should count them," she says, smiling and closing her eyes, feeling his fingers trace the lettering.

"What does this one say?" he asks, kissing it lightly.

She knows which one he's speaking off, the one she got right after her parent's divorce. Too heavy of a topic post-coitus.

"I like soup," she deadpans and he blows a raspberry on her back as punishment, causing her to laugh.

"Be serious!"

"I'm dead serious. What? I really do like soup. Enough to get a tattoo about it."

"Fine, don't tell me..." He sits up a bit, leaning back against the wall. Her bed isn't that big at school, it's twin sized, but here they have a full sized hotel bed, and they are still practically on top of each other. "No seriously, is it music related?"

"Maybe. Yes," she isn't ready to open up about her life before Barden too much tonight, it leads to sadness, and right now she's happy. She has music, friends, and Jesse._ Jesse naked._

"I don't have any tattoos."

"We should change that."

"I don't know. I'm not into needles. Or big bald guys holding needles. I also hate clowns...god, imagine a clown holding a tattoo needle..."

"I don't...think there's a clown tattoo artist anywhere near here..." she pushes her foot at him and he grabs it, reaching up to rub her calf gently. "So you're safe. You're in a safe place."

"What should I get?"

She shrugs, turning over to sit up with him, her sheet pulled on her chest. She wonders how she looks right now, probably all disheveled and crazy , but she sees how he's looking at her so now she doesn't care. "You like movies. Maybe something movie related?"

"There's plenty of bad ass lines I can tat on my arm," he flexes, and she raises an eyebrow at him, and he deflates.

"I think...", she states slowly, reaching out to touch his arm, more sculpted than she expected before tonight. "...you should get Kermit the Frog, riding a lighting rod on your upper arm, the sexiness would be off the charts."

"I should get one of Bumper's face...bring all the girls to my yard," he jokes.

"That will work!"

They laugh, both trying hard to ignore the fact they totally had sex for most of the night, and what that really means.

"He's gonna be pissed you lost to the Bellas."

"Who cares what he thinks? That asshole," Jesse quips. "That was such a dick move, leaving us like that before finals. Because of him, we can't even afford to stay in New York for more than a two nights. He only booked for Friday and tonight. I've never been to New York. All I've seen is what I could see from the bus."

"Maybe we'll come back one day," she says without thinking, and he smiles a bit at the idea she's thinking of a future with him.

"Yeah, we have to come back and get our title back next year. Because honestly, I don't think anyone could have topped your number. Ever...in life."

Beca swells with pride. She was proud of her set, of the girls, of herself. She liked acappella way more than she wanted to admit, and everything she's been working towards laid out so perfectly on stage tonight.

"Are you just saying that because I serenaded you with _Simple Minds_?"

"Well that, and the fact you have this awesome gift for music. No really, I'm so serious. Since I heard your voice, since I saw you getting out of that taxi all bad ass with your giant ass headphones. I knew...I just knew you loved music. I like being able to share that."

The smiling was becoming insane, her face hurts a bit. "Me too."

"I also think you owe me an apology..."

"For what?" her smile drops to a frown instantly, hoping he still wasn't harping on their argument. She thinks she's done more than enough to get on his good side.

"For laughing in my face when I told you we would be making aca-babies."

"What?! No one's making aca-babies in here. Well not that way."

"The night of the initiation, come on! Remember I told you, we were going to get together. I'm psychic."

"You were wasted."

"And prophetic!" Jesse exclaims.

"And...wasted."

"Determined."

"_Stalker..._" she sings.

She feels him staring at her in dark for a minute, and even though it was only light from the window, it made them seem more exposed. He suddenly reaches over and pulls her in his lap, the sheet moving from her body. She settles on him, but he wasn't trying to have sex again, he just wanted to hold her against him, and this is exactly why she was falling hard for this goofy aca-guy in the first place. He kisses her lips softly and pulls back, smiling at her. "I have to ask you a question..."

"What?" she leans in and whispering against his lips, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"You have to seriously answer me. I need you to be serious. Okay?"

"Um...yeah."

"I've wanted to ask you this...all night...but I don't know how..."

She gets worried now. "What?"

"It's just..." he sighs, looking down.

"Jesse, don't fuck around. Tell me," she says a little too forcefully, because this got serious really quick.

"What I want to know...what I need to ask you...is...Do you...like the way I work it?" he burst into song, as her eyes widened. He does a little dance and she bounces on his hips. She glowers before laughing. She likes this boy. _A lot, too much_. She might love (_whoa..._) him one day soon. For now, she's here, and Jesse's holding her, and she's got the Bellas, and she's feeling that release of tension she's carried with her. She has her music. She's pretty damned happy.

"Shut up ," she growled, covering his mouth with hers to keep him quiet. "Why don't you _show_ me how you work it again."

_***Notes: There's more, if you like I'm going to go into how their relationship develops AFTER the 6 months flash forward._

_***I edited some of this, I forgot they were at the Lincoln Center in New York in cannon and is an important factor in the story later. So if you read this before, and in re-reading noticed a change, that's why. I had to keep it as accurate as possible. Hope that's okay!_


	2. Chapter 2

The semester is coming to an end, and the school seems more empty than usual. Students scatter like cockroaches right after their finals, packing up and leaving faster than the circus moving onto another town. Beca walks out of her last final, mentally and physically exhausted. She steps out the building, letting the warm air hit her shoulders. She's done it, she's finished with her freshman year at Barden.

She'd be the first to admit there was a rocky start, in fact, it surprises her she is standing there at all. After all, her father had promised she could go off to LA after the spring, and here that time has come, and she just feels that LA would have to wait a little bit longer. She couldn't leave everyone and everything now. She finally has grown attached to something.

* * *

_"Are you gonna miss me?" He whispered, his fingers playing with her hair. Her head rested on his stomach as they watched Batman Returns in his room. He insisted these were more enjoyable to him than the newer Batman movies (she hadn't seen any of them). _

_"Nope."_

_He laughed and she could feel the vibrations on his stomach. "Yeah, you will." Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman back flipped her way towards Batman._

_"No, I'm not. I'm going to miss Kimmy Jin. I'm going to miss the god awful cardboard pizza in the dining hall. I'm going to miss the way my professors all decide to give me a paper due at the same time. I'm going to miss Aubrey yelling at me. But you…I will not miss."_

_She wants to pretend that they aren't going to be separated in a few weeks. She wants to pretend they can sit like this and watch his stupid movies that she doesn't care about._

_"You guys," Benji pleaded from his seat on the floor in front of Jesse's bed. "Here's the best part!"_

_She smiled slightly as the building behind Catwoman exploded, and Benji and Jesse gave each other a fist bump. Nerds. Total nerds. She'll most definitely miss this._

* * *

She already misses him, which is weird because she promised herself she wouldn't get all wrapped up in him. But she was, _she is_, and she wants to be. The summer would be difficult, they both knew, he'd be back at home and she'd be back and forth between her parents, but her mother told her Jesse could come and visit for a few days, provided Beca not have her infamous attitude. So, she'd bite her tongue if that meant Jesse got to visit. The sacrifices she was willing to make for this relationship.

The last few weeks have been an eye opener. She's undoubtedly in love with Jesse, though, she'd won't give him the satisfaction of knowing. She found herself in a new place, liking Barden, trusting her dad. It was witchcraft or voodoo work, this was. It seemed too early, too new, these feelings for Jesse, even though he was her best friend all year. She feels like it should be a certain time line before declarations are made. But she learned quickly things would happen when they wanted. Her relationship with Jesse is opening her mind and heart in new ways, and she feels out of control. She hates losing control of anything. But it's written all over her face, his face too, and the wall behind them.

* * *

_**Two weeks before school ends...**_

_"And it feels like I am just too close to love you. There's nothing I can really sayyyyyyyyy ayyyy ayyyy ayyyy..." Jesse belted out to the crowd cheering in front of him. "I can't lie no more, I can't hide no more...Got to be true to myself. And it feels like I am just too close to love you. So I'll be on my wayyyyyy..."_

He's lucky he's performing right now_, Beca thought. Because when he sings like that, she gets the uncontrollable urge to climb him like tree._ _So instead, she watched him watching her as he belted out the song. She sipped the vodka laced punch out of her cup, her eyes steadily on him. _Oh yeah, she's gonna climb that_. She's sure the eye sex she's having with Jesse is probably making everyone around her uncomfortable, but she doesn't really care. It's the ear porn. Something about him performing with the Trebles makes him seem like the Bradley Cooper of acapella. They were at Chloe and Aubrey's graduation pool party, and the Treblemakers were kind enough to perform. Cynthia, Lily, Ashley, Lily and Beca all stood in a circle, surrounded by scandalously clad boys and girls frolicking around them. _

_"Look at her, she's like mesmerized," Ashley giggled, pointing at Beca. She wasn't even paying attention until Cynthia Rose tapped her shoulder._

_"You okay there, Beca?" _

_"Um, yeah fine...great. What are we talking about?" she shook off her sex haze to focus._

_"You are so hooked. I mean, I'll give it the guy, he can sing his ass off. He must do other things really well too," Cynthia said, causing the girls to laugh._

_Beca blushed and turned back to the circle. She had to get control of herself, she was way too open, way too obvious. Did Jesse really have that type of effect on her? How the fuck is that possible, he's like...Jesse. Who was she kidding? Every time he sang, her skin felt like thousand pulse points. He knew music got to her and he could play that for what it was worth. _

_"Look at Stacie," Cynthia Rose replied, pointing out Stacie sitting on the side of the pool, two guys begging her to get in. "I like her bikini."_

_Ashley frowned, feeling self conscience about her one piece . "Why couldn't this be indoors? I don't do swimwear."_

_"Me neither," Beca frowned even though she wore her bikini, she had the decency to keep on her jean shorts. She watched as the Trebles finished their set and high five each other. Fat Amy pulled Benji over to her so he could apply sunblock on her back. Benji looked slightly afraid."At least someone's having fun."_

_"Have any of you even seen Aubrey or Chloe? It's their party," Ashley asked. _

_"Right here, aca-bitches!" they heard Chloe yell and they all catcalled her and Aubrey as they strolled over, in high heels and tankinis._

_"Congratulations!" Beca said, hugging Chloe. "We're going to miss you when you go to Berkley."_

_"I'm only a phone call away," Chloe smiled, hugging her back._

_"You too, Aubrey."_

_"You can text me anytime. Or call. Text if I don't answer. I mean it, Beca. Leadership over the Bellas is an honor. We're entrusting it to you."_

_Beca nodded humorously. Aubrey's need for control will always be there, even after victory._

_"So…why aren't you guys in the pool?" Aubrey asked._

_"I can't, I just got my hair braided," Cynthia Rose offered._

_Ashley frowned, "And look like a whale? No thanks."_

_"My hamster drowned in a kiddie pool when I was five," Lily replied._

_Everyone looked at her and decided to ignore. _

_"What about you, Beca?"_

_"She's waiting for Jesse," Cynthia Rose teased._

_"Ohhhh… you want him to see you in your bikini?" Chloe teased as well._

_Beca brought her cup up to her lips and muttered, "He's seen me in much less, trust me."_

_"What did you say?" Aubrey stared at Beca as if she wanted to punch her in the face. _

_Beca forgot she didn't exactly tell Chloe or Aubrey the nature of her new relationship with Jesse. It was ridiculous, this notion of having to share the details of your relationship with a group of girls not in said relationship. Everyone already knew they were together, so she wasn't sure what the big deal was. Did Aubrey expect for them to have both feet on the floor and only go for soda pop dates at the local diner? Beca felt a little guilty though, Chloe was so open with everything, she probably expected Beca to spill. Aubrey was just a dictator, always will be. _

_Aubrey grabbed Beca's arm and pulled her off from the group. "Beca! Have you been treble boned?! What did I tell you about that?"_

_"Are we still on that? I thought we decided to let that go."_

_"No. That is a standing rule, Beca."_

_"Aubrey, chill, we just started dating."_

_"I'm serious. No matter what, we can never let the Trebles penetrate us. EVER." Beca's eyes widened at Aubrey's declaration because of course Jesse would walk up right at that moment. He looked thoroughly amused, his hands behind his back. He also looked incredible hot in his swim trucks. She'll have to peel those off of him later._

_"Hello there," he said a bit too smugly. He liked seeing Beca squirm when confronted about the nature of their relationship._

_"Answer the question, Beca!" Aubrey said expectantly._

_"Um…I plead the sixth?" she replied._

_"Fifth," Jesse corrected._

_Beca cut her eyes at her boyfriend. "Whatever. I mean, seriously, that rule shouldn't even be a rule."_

_"Are you admitting guilt?" Aubrey asked. _

_"I'm admitting that whoever gets to ride the Beca rollercoaster, it'll be my business and my business only," Beca shrugged, taking a sip out of her cup again. "I'm the ticket master."_

_Aubrey turned her tirade on Jesse, hands on her hips. "And have you rode that coaster?"_

_He looked over to Beca, who just winked at him, "Aubrey, I promise you, my intentions with Beca are honorable. And...stop looking at me like that, it makes me afraid."_

_"You better be. Don't you hurt her," Aubrey said in a huff as she walked away._

_Beca smiled inwardly that Aubrey was trying to protect her. She crossed her arms and glared at Jesse. "You intentions are honorable?"_

_"Yep."_

_"Where'd you learn such a thing?"_

_"European History."_

_Beca snorted. "I don't think your intentions are honorable at all, the way you were up there carrying on just now."_

_"Well, ticketmaster," Jesse nodded stepping close, "Let's just say I've got a whole lot of tickets and I'll ride Coaster Beca til the wheels fall off."_

* * *

Her phone buzzes with a text from Chloe.

_So bored. They spelled Aubrey's name wrong on her diploma. She is now Andre. Heh._

That elicits a snort from Beca as she types in LOL and tucks her phone in her pocket. She trucks across campus to say goodbye to Jesse. His parents are coming to get him sometime this evening, and she needs a bit of quality time before he leaves. As she strolls down the hall to Jesse's room, Beca can hear the shrill of a woman's voice before she hits Jesse's dorm room door.

"Where are all the underwear I bought you in the summer? And...really, Jesse? This is how you pack your things? "

"Mom,_ please_…stop. No, stop fussing with my underwear," she could hear Jesse exclaim and the snickering of another man in the room. "More importantly though, Beca will be here any moment. Can we not do this right now?"

Beca stops short of the door, wondering should she even attempt to say goodbye to Jesse for the summer, sensing that it was the first time she'd meet his parents, and his mother was on an underwear rampage.

"Oh, it's just hilarious, isn't it? Our son is incapable of folding. Does this _Beca_ know you aren't very good at folding?"

"How do I respond to that, mom? I mean…really."

"Look at him, embarrassed. Afraid we'll embarrass you in front of your girlfriend? Wait. Is this _Beca_ your girlfriend?"

"Yes, but don't sit here, holding my boxers when she comes in, it's kind of embarrassing. And she's…she's not really into labels much, so don't call her my girlfriend every five seconds, ok?"

_Yeah, this was overwhelming_. She isn't sure she's ready to be introduced to Jesse's overbearing mother just yet, who could probably sense that Beca had seen her son naked, _many, many_ times. She thinks briefly of fleeing, and maybe texting Jesse to come visit her before he left instead but before she can turn around, Benji walks out of the room. _Perfect._

"Hi Beca!"

Jesse's head pops out of the room at the sound of her name. "Hey!"

She walks in reluctantly, wishing she would have ignored Benji and run for it. As she walks in, Jesse's parents stare at her expectantly.

"You must be Beca, so nice to meet you. I'm Jesse's mom, Vanessa. This is Jesse's father, Dan."

Beca extends a hand and plasters a nervous smile on her face. "Hello, hi."

Vanessa waves that off and grabs Beca to hug her. "Jesse can't stop talking about you. It's so good to finally meet you."

"Omph!" Suddenly she's smothered by his mother's bosom.

"Mom, please. Release her," Jesse sighs. She finally gets some air, and she moves to stand next to Jesse, a smirk on her face. He looks traumatized.

"Where are you from, Beca?"

"Nowhere really, right now, my mom lives in D.C."

"Wow. City girl," Jesse's mom winks. Out of her peripheral, she could see Jesse grow pale at his mother's antics. "Well, over the summer, Jesse's supposed to come visit you. He's just so excited about that. Well, you'll just have to come visit us. We're from Charlotte."

She tucks her hair behind ear, genuinely appreciative of the invite. "I'd love to, never been."

"Good, that's settled. I'm just so happy Jesse has someone like you. You know, Jesse was always so into his movies and things, he had one girlfriend in high school, but she was way too perky, a cheerleader," His mother leans in to whisper, "Blonde. Pretty though. But stupid. Very stupid. Anyway…he was always so busy singing showtunes—"

"Soundtracks, mom, soundtracks."

"And he was in theatre and choir, and honestly I always thought he might not really be into girls—"

"Mom!" Jesse yelps.

"-what with the sequined outfits and all," his mother keeps going and Jesse's face has gone white and his jaw tightens. "There was one outfit with a vest, I just thought it looked like a woman's-"

"Please stop. Please," he begs to no avail.

"Our Jesse was always so talented," his mother is giving a genuine smile but Jesse is far too traumatized to appreciate it.

"Okay, well that's quite enough embarrassment for the day. I'm going to walk Beca back to her room, then go jump off a nearby bridge," Jesse places his hand on Beca's back and leads her and her amused expression out the door. He closes it behind him, rubbing his eyes and letting out a frustrated sigh. Beca watches him, unable to to stop snickering at the embarrassment her boyfriend just endured.

His eyes are still closed when he asks, "You think it's hilarious, don't you?"

"Maybe a little…yes. Okay, a lot."

"She's not always like that. She had some wine for lunch," he grimaces.

"Your mother is awesome. I hope she has more wine when I visit. In fact, I'll bring her a few bottles to get things going."

He opens his eyes and glares at her. "You wouldn't."

"Does she like white wine? Wine in a box? I want to get it right."

"What's with the women in my life finding amusement in my embarrassment?"

Beca simply shrugs as he grabs her hand. They walk towards her room quietly as Jesse tried to shake off his mother's oddness.

"Sooooo…you're really coming to visit me?" His smile is wide now.

"I am," Beca rolls her eyes, "Maybe."

He stops and sits on the ledge of the steps of her dorm, pulling Beca towards him. "You can stay at Hotel Swanson. It's the epitome of luxury."

Beca wraps her arms around his neck. "Really? Do they have a pool?"

"Nope. We do have a bathtub though."

"King size bed?"

"Cot…maybe, or a blanket on the floor of my sister's room."

"Does it have room service?"

"No, your legs aren't broken. You can come eat in the kitchen like everyone else."

She laughs fully. "Sounds tempting."

"So I'll book your stay for the second weekend in June," his nose touches her nose and she knows she is going to miss him so much over the summer. She breathes in his cologne and touches his hair.

"I'll be there," she whispers before kissing him fully, a deep one, because he's leaving and she's leaving and they've wasted enough time this year. His full lips cover her and he tugs at her bottom lip and she slowly lets her tongue intertwine with his. One thing about Jesse, he can kiss. _His mouth, is made to do many fabulous things_,_ just as well as singing_, she thinks. Jesse pulls her closer, almost on top of him, until they hear someone behind them, clearing their throats.

"Ahem," It's Fat Amy and Cynthia Rose, sneering at their public displays of affection.

Beca pulls back but Jesse won't let her go so she stays in his arms. Beca purses her lips and smiles. "Ladies."

"What are you two still doing here?" Fat Amy laughs. "Besides the obvious tonsil probing."

Cynthia Rose smiles, "We interrupted your goodbyes, didn't we?"

"Um, no it's okay," Jesse offers.

"A bit," Beca shrugs.

Amy sits next to them."Well, this is what I have to look forward to next year when we are roommates. These two, screwing like two dingos in heat. Have you ever seen a dingo in heat? Disgusting, sperm all over the place."

The group frowns and Amy shrugs. _The struggle is real in Tasmania_. "You guys have never experienced dingo mating. Sucks for you."

Jesse looks genuinely confused, unable to grasp how weird the conversation just became.

"No sperm," Beca answers for him.

"Promises, promises. Heard that before. Well, we were just here to drop off the video compilation of our performances this year," Fat Amy replies, handing Beca the DVD.

"I'm taking Amy to the airport," Cynthia Rose replies.

Jesse only let go as Amy gives Beca a small hug."Yeah. Gotta get my sexy ass back to Tasmania. You can go back to your regularly scheduled fucking. Bye guys."

Beca hugs Cynthia as well, then both girls turn to leave.

Jesse waves, "Bye. Have a good summer."

Beca turns back to Jesse, and they touch foreheads again, resting into each other for a moment, just being together. "Okay, then. Kissing should resume."

He laughs and kisses her neck. "So…back to our regularly scheduled-"

She kisses him so hard he almost falls back on the concrete.

_**Thank you for all the reviews! I have a few chapters written I just wanted to write how they planned on keeping their relationship fresh over the summer. Hope you liked it._

_Song mentioned: Alex Clare "Too Close", Movies: Batman Returns.**_


	3. Chapter 3

She was already getting irritated and she'd only been off the train for like…_five whole minutes_. Her bag was digging into her shoulder, her iPod died (she listened to it the entire train ride) and she was starving. Not to mention the Charlotte train station was filled with impatient and rude douche bags who had no concept of personal space. So to say the least, she was in a foul mood already. So she walked briskly through the crowd, being shoved around due to her small stature, but Beca was the type to shove back. She just wanted to reach her destination in one piece.

As the crowd moved to the exits, she noticed groups of people waiting for the exiting passengers. Beca scanned the crowd of expectant taxi drivers and greeters, until she finally spotted him. He couldn't see her just yet, but he was looking for her, his neck craned in a different direction. He was a holding a sign with **Beyoncé** written on it, and she bit the inside of her cheek in amusement, feeling better already now that she was here and able to see Jesse.

He was still looking in the wrong direction when she approached, clearing her throat. "Beyoncé, huh? That's aiming pretty high, don't you think?"

Jesse smiled before he even turned to look at her, but tried to mask it to keep up the charade. "I have big goals. Besides, who knows? She might be here and would appreciate seeing such a welcoming face."

"I doubt it."

"Excuse me, sarcastic little person, you're blocking my sign," he huffed, lifting it higher.

"Come here, weirdo," Beca cooed, grabbing his shirt and pulling him into a sloppy kiss.

He melted into it immediately; it had been three weeks, and no amount of Skyping, phone calls, or texts could make up for the physical connection they needed. She loves the way he feels against her lips, and his tee shirt is fitting just right. Jesse smelled like Axe body spray and she hated to know the commercials were right, _that shit gets you hot_. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands pushed into her hair, and she forgot all about the fact her computer bag was heavy as fuck on her shoulder.

He pulled back and kissed her nose lightly, the goofy smile still plastered on his face. "Hi."

"Wassup."

"Let me take that."

He reached for her bag and grabbed her hand. Suddenly, Beca didn't mind being in a crowded train station, she was more than happy to be here. The two weeks at her mother's house wasn't pleasant, her mother was still having issues with the divorce and Beca's new established relationship with her dad and stepmother. Beca didn't want to deal anymore, so when she complained to Jesse about the headache, he sent her an email confirmation of her e-ticket an hour later. _**"Just…because I can hold you when you're here," he said during one particularly emotional Skype session**._ Yep, she loved this boy.

"So how was your ride?"

"It was okay, pretty to look at, but I just listened to music and wrote Twilight fanfic to keep me busy," she said, part sarcastically.

"Can't wait to read it, I'm Team Jacob," Jesse nodded as they crossed the street to a parking lot.

"Cool, I'm team Bella should kill herself," Beca shrugged.

That elicited a snort from her boyfriend, who she could tell missed her sarcastic wit.

She was a little relieved they did get a small break from each other, it made their relationship even more interesting. Jesse's very romantic, and it could have been a bit overwhelming since Beca is truly new at allowing someone in, so this time was good. She's allowed herself to miss him, to think about him and what he means to her, and even though it's still pretty new, she loves him as a friend and more, and she wanted to make it work.

He only let go of her hand to pull out his car keys to an older model Subaru. "I want to introduce you to Betsy."

"You named your car?"

"All men name their car. It's like, a thing," he shrugged, opening the back door and placing her luggage in the seat.

"A Subaru. Do you only shop organic whole foods as well?" she joked and Jesse gave her a look that showed he doesn't like her making fun of Betsy. "Betsy's awesome. I don't own a car so I can't judge."

"Hopefully my parents will let me bring it down next year. It'll make more sense since I'm moving in the Treble house."

"I'm pretty psyched about living with Amy. Even though, no one will replace the coldness of Kimmy Jin. That bitch kept me on my toes."

"I miss her steely stare already," Jesse quipped, taking Beca's hand even though he was driving. "I missed you too…just so you know."

The drive was only twenty minutes, and Beca arrived to much fanfare at Jesse's house. She was shocked to be greeted by his grandparents (who Jesse didn't know would be there) and his mother made a big to do about everything. After dinner, and a round of twenty questions all directed towards Beca, the family settled in the living room.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"I'm putting in this tape of your play for Beca," his mom hushed him, and Beca watched Jesse's face flush.

"What? What show? Mom, stop!"

"Oh Beca, Jesse was in a community theatre production of _Spring Awakening_ his senior year. Way too sexual if you ask me, but the music was good. Jesse played Gay-Org. Right Jesse?"

"Wrong, totally wrong," he shook his head, but his mother ignored him.

"It was so good it got a write up in the paper. I took video of it-"

"Illegally," Jesse frowned.

"It's not illegal as long as you're my son, I'll record you all I want."

Jesse sighed heavily and palmed his face as Beca snickered. They watched the entire production and Beca was in awe when Jesse's parts came up. He's just so talented, it's almost unfair. He sat next to her, looking utterly embarrassed. She had no idea why, his voice was remarkable and he had a mother who was proud of it. At the end of the viewing, everyone clapped and Beca saw Jesse look a little humbled by it.

After saying goodnight to his grandparents, Jesse showed Beca his sister's room (she was away at soccer camp).

"It's a twin bed, but I hope it works," he said turning on a lamp for her. "You think you'll need anything? Towels? Blankets? Me?"

"Come here," she wagged her finger, and he walked over to her, leaning in and kissing her. Beca pulled back, "Thank you."

"No, thank you for coming. And I am so sorry my mom invited Gramma and Granpa. That's like...too much Swanson for anyone to handle," he said, making a face.

"It was nice," Beca replied.

"I really am glad you're here, though."

"Oh, before I forget, guess what I got?!" Beca remembered, pulling away and reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small bottle of wine from her bag. She swiped it from her stepmother's cabinet before she left. She figured it wasn't big enough to get her in trouble and it was easy to conceal in her bag. Plus, she really hoped Jesse's mom would find wine from somewhere.

"Stop playing!" Jesse cackled. "No, you are not getting my mom drunk for your amusement, Beca Mitchell. I swear to god, you are like my sexy arch nemesis. You are out to destroy me."

"But somehow, after tonight I think you mom is up to embarrass you without being under the influence," she sneered.

"Yeah, it's the story of my life," he shrugged. "If she didn't humiliate me, she would have to take up another hobby, like knitting."

She turned to say something sarcastic, but saw how content he looked at that moment with her just being here with him. He really missed her and she missed him, and they were figuring this thing out. So instead of being her usually snarky self, she reached for him and he enveloped her in a hug. He felt alot like home to her.

* * *

"Okay, seriously, with the map, you look like a tourist," she mutters, standing beside him as he stares at a map he got from a gift shop.

Jesse stands in the middle of the sidewalk, holding the map open, trying to figure out where they are.

"'Cause I _am_ tourist," is all he replies, adjusting his sunglasses before staring back at the map.

"Yeah, but you shouldn't want to look like one," Beca grumbles again, but she is going to let it go, because he was really into that damn map and totally ignoring the fact they are impeding the flow of pedestrian traffic. They are visiting the Smithsonian, it was Jesse's turn to visit her, and that's where he wanted to go. Of all places. But she'll go along with it because it's his visit and she wants him to enjoy himself.

They walk a few more steps and Jesse stops again and is staring at that damn map. Beca rolls her eyes. He refuses to listen. "You know you're like a walking target to get robbed. We need to blend."

"Well, let me borrow one of your ear spikes and some of your witty sarcasm, I'm sure I'll blend in just fine then," Jesse snaps back in jest, and Beca glowers at him.

It isn't an intense exchange, their relationship is still new but they were a few months in now, so the snarky-ness had come up a notch. She kind of enjoys it, it isn't all lovey dovey, and Jesse could give it back just as well as she dishes it out. Jesse's visit came at the tail end of the summer; they'd be back at Barden in two weeks anyway, but he wanted to see her. It's hard, being with someone and being so far from them, she's learned all summer.

Her visit in Charlotte went well, Jesse was so attentive and loving, and his family so inviting, Beca almost envied that he got to have that type of family. His mother lavished attention on her (too much, honestly) and Beca liked getting a peek into what made Jesse tick. His mother, as overbearing as she was, was gentle to him, his father was calm and supportive, in way similar to Beca's. Jesse grew up in a fun loving home and it spoke volumes for how he was in general. His family however, made it hard for them to…_physically reconnect_, so every moment Jesse could, he stole her away to make out or…other things (up against the side of the garage), because being away from each other just made sex… _that more intense_.

Now, he's here in DC with Beca and her mother, Nan. Her mother's been horrible at trying to hide the fact she's a complete bitch, but Jesse can sense the tension. His trip was different than when she visited him. He came at a time when there was obvious contention with her mother. But Jesse can now figure why Beca closes off or shuts down some times, her mother's bitterness is evident and damaging. She can sense he wants to protect her from that, shield her from her mother's little jabs at her "_little obsession with music_" or her "weird _glee club_" remarks at dinner.

Jesse lets her mother know Beca won a national title, the first time women were able to do so, and when the Bellas did win, they blew the competition away. She feels herself loving this boy more and more every time he opens his beautiful mouth, because he's more than just a warm body attracted to her, he's her friend first and he sees the dark side Beca's struggling with and he cares for her anyway. He understands now why LA is, _or was_, her goal, she needed to get away.

Beca tugs his arm to maneuver him over to the crowded lawn in front of the Washington monument so they could sit and rest next to the reflecting pool. She figured they could rest a bit and he could obsess over his map without getting in the way of moving crowds. They both plop down in the grass and it's then he finally decides to fold that damn map and put it away. It's a nice day. Beca leans back on her hands, looking upward, letting the summer sun hit her face and reflect off her glasses. She could feel the heat from the sun, the heat creeps up and causes her brow to sweat, but she knows behind his glasses, she's pretty sure Jesse's eyeing her profile. She wore her purple tank top on purpose.

He leans back as well, and they people watch for awhile before he asks, "You excited to get back and be in charge of the Bellas?"

"Terrified," she says simply. She is terrified. New girls, plus figuring out how to reel in the older Bellas would be a challenge.

"Don't be. You'll do fine. Chloe and Aubrey believe in you. I do too."

"Yeah, I talked to Chloe the other day, she gave me good tips. Basically, don't get as neurotic as Aubrey."

"You know, Aubrey's hateful glares at me all last year could be misconstrued as sexual tension," Jesse wags his eyebrows.

"For you or me?" Beca deadpans.

"Who knows, though, I am hotter than you. I think…sometimes. Not often."

"You would have hooked up with Aubrey and I would have fucked Unicycle right on top of your precious DVD collection."

"Wow…so territorial," he replies, shuddering for effect. "Besides, I know for a fact Unicycle's bare-chesting exploits disgust you, so I'm not worried."

"Are you worried about taking over now that Donald's gone?"

"Nope, I got the other guys, they know what's up. I just want Benji to really get to be a part of it, he just insists on wearing that fucking cape all the time."

"It's a nice cape, though" Beca shrugs. She likes Benji and the fact Jesse's so protective over his socially incapable room mate. She pulls two bottles of water out of her bag, as well as an apple and orange. She hands both fruits to him, and he gets right to peeling the orange, for her, as she hates peeling oranges.

_Once, before they were dating, he saw her attempting to peel an orange while in the quad._

_"Why are you peeling it that way? You're doing it wrong," he said, as she struggled ripping little pieces of orange skin off._

_"God created oranges to make you feel like you're an idiot," she replied, ripping off another small piece off. The skin was like steel, it refuses to peel away. She'd never been good at this. It would take her ages to peel an orange. But they were so fucking delicious and it was all she grabbed for lunch._

_"Gimme it, it's like watching Saw IV, the way you maiming that orange," he took the mutilated orange from her as she huffed, and his fingers seems nimble as he made quick work of it._

It's small moments like those, he's just so fucking wonderful. She watches her hot, orange peeling, loving boyfriend. Jesse's not even looking at her, just peeling her orange and smiling to himself. _It's time_, she thinks, she feels._ She has to say it now._

"I love oranges," Beca says, shifting uncomfortably, removing her sunglasses. Suddenly, she felt hotter and she knew it wasn't from the summer sun, but her nervousness. She'd never said this to anyone before, save the Bellas who she loved, but never she never declared it to anyone in a romantic sense.

"But you've never learned how to peel one properly," Jesse smirks.

"Yeah. Well...you know…that's why I have you. To peel my oranges. To bombard me with annoying and unnecessary movie references. It's one of the many reasons I...like, you know...love you," she breathes out, and his hands stop peeling the orange instantly. He jerks his head up, but his glasses hide his eyes.

"Did you hear me, nerd?" she asks sincerely because he's dumbstruck and not saying anything.

He nods, but says nothing, so Beca reaches up and takes off his sunglasses as well. His eyes are wide and thankful, and she's not sorry she said it; just overwhelmed by her feelings suddenly, because he's peeling her oranges for her, defending her to her mother, and she just really wants to say it right now.

"Wow, _come here_," he said, putting the orange down sloppily on his bag and reaching for her. She obliges his deep kiss. It's demanding and he's grateful that she finally said it. She figures it's been on his lips for a while, but because he knows she's slower in revealing her feelings, he hadn't said it. She could see it at different times, like the way his eyes sparkle when she laughs or when they are talking on Skype, or she almost hears it in the way he says goodnight after one of their long phone conversations. He doesn't even pull back as he says in between kisses, " I love you, too."

"So...we're PDAing pretty hardcore right now in front of the government," she smiles into his lips, but Jesse doesn't even remark back. He's too busy kissing her and making everyone around them stare.

So, on a hot day at the end of July, they make out on the lawn of the Washington Monument, with Jesse's hand sticky with orange juice and the school year approaching. She's going to have a good year. She can feel it.

He finally pulls back with a goofy grin, and plants a soft kiss on her forehead. His fingers graze her forehead and she thinks they could sit like this all day.

Jesse though, has other plans. He abruptly turns to grab the map. "I want to go to the zoo."

"What? _Right now_?" _In the middle of making out, he wants to go to the zoo?_

"Yep," he says, standing up and holding out his hand to her.

She looks at him, trying to figure him out, but then she gets it. He's trying to make it less traumatic for her that she just said she loves him. He knows it's a big step, for both of them, and now that the declarations out there, it's no reason for anything to get heavy or weird. She extends her hand to touch his as he hoists her off the ground.

"Alright nerd, you have the stupid map, lead the way," she replies, smiling herself, as they gather their things (her peeled orange included) and head towards the Metro station holding hands.

_**Next up, back to Barden and problems for our couple. _

_Skylar Astin was in Spring Awakening on Broadway and his performance is amazing. Watch it on Youtube. He played the character, Georg._


	4. Chapter 4

_It was three weeks since they'd been back at Barden, and already Beca's nerves were shot. Summer ended way too fast, but she was a bit relieved to be back (yeah...weird how that works) and away from her mother. She was living somewhat comfortably as room mates with Fat Amy, barring the fact there is a constant conveyor belt of boys going in and out of their room._

_Earlier this week, Beca was so tired by time she left the radio station, she was practically sleep walking. Luke gave her the graveyard shift this year, so she had her own show, that no one listened to at eleven at night, but it was something more than stacking CDs (which she still did when it needed to be done)._

_Jesse offered to pick her up but she needed the walk, it wasn't far from her dorm, and she really just wanted a few moments of quiet to herself. Having the Bellas to round up, classes, the radio show, Jesse, her parents, and her internship, Beca needed a moment to just breathe and do nothing. By time she reached her room, she was exhausted and didn't even notice the door was unlocked. She stumbled right into one of Fat Amy's fuck sessions with a dude from the swim team, who was in mid thrust, apparently._

_"Thrusters a-gooooo!" Fat Amy moaned._

_"Uhmf!"_

_"What the fuck?!" Beca froze, the sight of male buttocks seared in her brain. She dropped her keys and let out a horrified shriek before slamming the door back shut._

_"Jesus, Beca!"_

_"What?" the guy seemed confused. Maybe he thought Amy was screaming the wrong name?_

_"Get off me! Beca...Oh my god."_

_"Holy fuckballs...ew...ew...fuck...ew!" Beca chanted, fleeing back down the hall towards safety. She didn't stop even as Fat Amy screeched her name down the hall._

_So yeah, having Amy as a room mate was never boring. At least Fat Amy talked to her. At least Fat Amy has the decency to screw with the lights off. She ran to Lily's room that night, the only Bella she knew didn't have a room mate. Of course, things got weirder when Beca woke up on her makeshift sleeping bag on the floor, with Lily curled in a fetal position beside her. Suffice to say, the people in Beca's life were all strange and a bit overwhelming to her senses._

* * *

**"So once again, Jones, what was briefly yours is now mine."**

Usually she'd throw Jesse some well deserved shade when he starts repeating movie lines. But today, Beca didn't even flinch at Jesse quoting lines from _Raiders of the Lost Ark_. Today, she had no time to sit and enjoy Harrison Ford in all his adventurous glory...she was way too busy.

They were sitting on his bed, Jesse was eating a bowl of cereal and she was on the other side of him, her socked feet thrown across his shins. Normally she would attempt to pay attention to her boyfriend and his stupid movie of choice, but she had no time today. The tryouts were approaching fast, too fast, and she hadn't even prepared herself properly for them. She knew as soon as they picked their new flock of girls, they had to prepare for the upcoming riff off. They ended so strong last season, she was not going to let her girls down.

Now she truly understood why Chloe and Aubrey were on the verge of a mental breakdown, _this shit was hard_. She was good at mixes, but being the one to call the shots, to figure out the pitch and the choreography, was difficult. Every Bella had strengths (Cynthia Rose had an amazing range, Fat Amy had presence, and Jessica and Ashley could get choreography quickly), but they also had their flaws (they could all get easily distracted). With Chloe's low bass gone, they were back to square one in range.

_So yeah, this shit was for the birds_. She was in over her head. Aubrey probably knew it from the start, the fact she made one great set that won the finale didn't didn't mean shit, she couldn't lead these girls if she couldn't even figure out a play list.

She sighed heavily, seeing Jesse cut his eyes away from his movie to look at her. She wondered if he hated when she got like this, an intense concentration muddled by bitter angst and a touch of annoyed. If he did, he did a good job enduring it. She wasn't going to find anything right now. Some songs were too high, too mainstream, too expected, hard to break down the parts. Beca slammed down her laptop a little too aggressively, causing Jesse to sit up.

"Did the Macbook deserve that?"

"What? No...it's just...this whole setlist thing is fucking with my brain," Beca scrubbed her face with her hands, making a frustrated noise.

"Well...don't let it. That's what got Aubrey all riled up, trying to always be perfect-"

She interrupted Jesse. "-it's more than that. We lost Chloe's bass, how the hell am I going to get a replacement like that?"

" 'Roids. Give one of your girls some steroids."

She cut her eyes at him. "Shut up. It's... I'm not trying to be perfect, I'm trying to win. Ya know, _again_." The last part warranted a small rewarding smirk. "Maybe one day you'll know what it's like."

"Okay, now that you've reached your insult quota for the day, wanna make out?" Jesse leaned in closer to her face and Beca, no matter how irritated she was right now, was more than up for a makeout session with Jesse.

Her lips stretched into a smile, but dissolved when she remembered she had to go meet and talk to Amy. They were going to go over some room rules like _"You won't have to see the crack of my boyfriend's ass, so I'd like the same courtesy"_ kind of talk.

"I'd love to, but I should get going. Maybe later, though?" She softly kissed him and pulled back.

"Rejected. But, fine, I'll walk you to your room," Jesse pouted and gave her another quick peck, before he followed her as she put on her shoes and grabbed her bag to leave. They walked down the stairs to main level, where they could hear the rest of the Trebles arguing.

She heard Kolio first. "No one here can whistle? Seriously? What the hell? We can beatbox, we can create melodies, but no, we can't fucking whistle."

"I just can't, okay? I always wanted to, but I can't! Don't judge me!"

The couple peeked into the main area to see the guys sitting around, frustrated looks on their faces.

"Jesse!" Benji exclaimed upon seeing them." We need your help."

"Obviously, what's up?"

"Can't talk about it in front of...the enemy," Benji muttered.

Beca's head snapped over to Jesse. "Is that what you call me around here?"

Jesse shrugged and lifted his finger to tickle her chin. "Only in a sweet way. Think of it as a pet name."

"No," she groused, dodging his move.

"Anyway, we tried to harmonize and it's not working. We need you. Also...no one can whistle," Benji looked so confused and it didn't help that the other guys behind him were nodding.

"Well, he can't help you either, he can't whistle," Beca crossed her arms.

Jesse scowled at her for revealing his weaknesses, "Yeah, it's my secret shame."

"But I can whistle," she offered and the guys looked at each other.

"We need Beca, just to see how it sounds,"said Brendan, but the other guys didn't seem convinced.

"Do we really need her though? We can go buy a whistle," Kolio glared at Beca.

"Does anyone have that rape whistle they gave out the first day?"

"Why would we have one of those? That was for the girls."

"Don't be a sexist, Kolio," Wayne retorted. "Man rape is a real thing."

The group looked uncomfortable for a moment. Benji smiled softly, "Can you help us Beca?"

"Um, sure..." Beca followed Jesse into the room and they sat near the guys, Benji handing her the sheet music to _Good Life by One Republic_. Jesse shrugged as he read, singing it to himself. She appreciated them accepting her help, and it marveled her to watch how easy they got into the song. Unicycle was touching his chest (_which was weird_) as he provided the bass, and the others were really into it as well. The Bellas needed this type of camaraderie; they needed to pull together and enjoy the music, but it was difficult when all Beca could worry about was winning. Maybe she could work on being less like Aubrey. She could do that for them, she could make it fun, make it worth it. At least...she hoped so.

* * *

"Alright nerds, let's hear..."

She sat and looked up as the barrage of voices hit the rafters, wondering did she seem as nervous when she was up there. Fat Amy and Lilly were on either side of her doing the snake while these poor souls belted out _One Direction's One Thing_. She'll slap Fat Amy for that later. In her peripheral, she could see Jesse bobbing his head to the damn song. She'd slap him later too.

The try outs ended and Tommy came back out, saying this crop was worst than the year before. Beca frowned, wondering what was said about the crop last year, her crop. She sat with the Bellas and pooled over the individual sheets, collectively judging people on their abilities.

_"I like her."_

_"She's hot."_

_"Is hotness our determining factor?"_

_"This one has range."_

_"I mean, she's fucking hot. I'm not sorry that I pointed it out."_

_"My ears were bleeding with this one."_

_"Guys, back to judging..." Beca pleaded but it was ignored._

_"Cynthia, you can't just judge a book by its cover, she sang like Kermit the Frog..."_

As Beca was reaching epic levels of frustration with the indecisive Bellas, Tommy cleared his throat on the stage. Everyone quieted down, shifting in their seats for the new arrival.

"We have one more," he said, and then dramatically exited the stage.

There was not a sound in the room, not even breathing, when Bumper walked onto that stage.

* * *

"What the fuck just happened?" Beca asked a despondent Jesse as he sipped on alcohol laced punch. He couldn't be consoled as the Trebles decided to let Bumper back in. Apparently, Bumper's rise to fame in L.A. was short lived, and he was back to finish his last year. "Shouldn't he have graduated by now?"

"He didn't because he left to go be a gagball for John Mayer." Beca was impressed at Jesse's viciousness, it so rarely came out. "Ya know, what pisses me off is I was the only one to remember what he did last year. Even Benji wanted to give him a second chance. This is the essence of bullshit."

"Ok, I'm cutting you off," she said, grabbing his cup.

Jesse just took her cup and took another sip of punch. "I don't even feel like celebrating."

She looked around at the new Bellas- Marty, Candice, Jennifer, and Reagan. They seemed so happy to be initiated, but of course they would, all they had to was dance and sing. All the work fell on her. Fat Amy was grinding on Brendan as Bumper glared menacingly at them, Cynthia Rose was playing craps, and the rest of the girls were having fun. Benji was even dancing, or getting a lap dance from some girl. He looked traumatized.

Jesse exhaled, and tossed the cup in the nearby trash. "You wanna get out of here?"

Beca nodded as he took her hand and they went back to his room. She understood his frustration, she had her own. Bumper being back changed everything. He was the golden boy of a capella and he was back for his crown. Of course, he would decide to come back now. She had texted Chloe and Aubrey, who both were in total panic mode as well, but what good does it do when they are no longer at Barden? Then there was Jesse, who stepped up and got Benji in, only to watch the guy who mocked his room mate slip back in and rile up the group dynamic.

After a silent walk back to his room, Beca watched Jesse toss his keys on his desk and let out a frustrated groan. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head between his shoulder blades. "Bumper is a dickwad."

"Aw, that's so sweet of you to say," Jesse chuckled, leaning back into her hug. "I agree. But...I'll get over it, I guess."

He turned around and embraced her against his chest. "What's with you tonight? You seem a little more depressed and emo than usual."

She snorted into his shirt. Her old instincts to not discuss her problems was still there. Even though she broke down plenty of walls this past year, this one wall was the hardest to tear down. "Shut up. I'm...fine."

Jesse bent down to look her in the eyes. "I don't believe you."

She knew he could read her, he's gotten particularly good at it in the last few months, but she wasn't quite ready to share yet. Her frustrations were all her own, and she didn't want to be the girl who needed help from her boyfriend all the time. So instead of letting Jesse further interrogate her, she reached up and pulled him down in an aggressive kiss. He responded immediately, tasting like punch, and she pushed his jacket to the floor. He quickly forgot trying to gauge his girlfriend's internal struggle, because Beca was sucking his bottom lip the way he enjoyed. Jesse's lips are like catnip to her, plump and wanting, and she loved kissing him, she loved touching him, and while she won't ever admit it to him aloud, but she'd show him.

He moaned into her mouth and helped her shrug off her hoodie, before his hands returned to cup her face. She wondered if he knew she was kissing him partly because she'd rather not talk, and maybe part of him didn't want to talk much either. She only pulled back enough to ask about Benji and he shook his head saying Benji would be out at the party for awhile since it was his first time actually being a part of initiation night.

"I'd feel better if you put a sock on the door or something."

He looked at her, a bit dazed. "_A sock?_ A sock. Okay...this sock."

Jesse looked around the room before he took off his shoes and socks, then jogged over to the door, wrapping it on the handle.

"Secured." He replied, walking back over to her. His lips, attention hungry, went back to kissing her, and tugging her shirt off.

She walked him back towards the bed, his knees hitting the edge and he sat down, pulling her towards him. The height difference put his face at her exposed stomach and she pulled his shirt up and off as he planted kisses on her belly. Beca smiled devilishly as Jesse's nimble fingers undid her jeans (and underwear) and slipped them over her thin hips. Jesse was so attentive and even partly tipsy tonight, he couldn't get enough of kissing her. Beca pushed him down on the twin bed, Jesse flat on his back as she straddled his legs, and he fumbled clumsily to get his own pants off. He reached for a condom in his nightstand drawer, and Beca sat above, waiting to pounce.

Once on, he pulled the covers over her, and that one gesture of caring about covering her nude body as they dry humped each other was really sweet. _Okay, shut up,_ she thought reaching down and grabbing his dick in her hands. Jesse's penis was always excited to see Beca, and she likewise, and right now, fucking her boyfriend was taking her mind off of all the other bullshit she had going through her head. She wasn't thinking of the Bellas anymore as she slowly began to ride him, she wasn't worrying about playlists or Bumper, or her mother, or classes. With Jesse's hands on her body, her mind went blank and for the first time in the last week, she thankfully wasn't thinking about anything. And while she was always awkward with sex, she never felt exposed with Jesse, and the act itself made her feel relief. Jesse flipped her over in a less than graceful move, and she welcomed the pressure of his hips on hers. Beca wrapped her arms and knees around her boyfriend, he settled near the spot of her neck that was sensitive, and for those moments, Beca closed her eyes and temporarily let go of all the frustration she was holding in.

* * *

"Oh Benji!"

"Shhh..."

Beca's eyes flew and adjusted to the dark ceiling up above her. Where was she? She turned noticing Jesse beside her, he was asleep, his nose next to her ear, breathing softly. _Was she dreaming? About Benji? Why was there sexual moaning in this dream of hers?_

"Oh god!"

"Olivia!"

"It's Olive!"

"I'm sorry..."

"Shut up, oh right there!"

She heard it again, but it wasn't her voice, or a dream. It was the sound of a girl moaning from across the room. Beca moved her head to look above the comforter blocking her view, and saw Benji drunkenly trying to undress the blonde girl from the initiation party. Beca's eyes went wide and she dropped back down in shock. _What the hell was with her being in the room when other people were sexing?!_ She elbowed Jesse gently, and his eyes flew open but she shook her head when he focused on her for him to shutup.

He looked confused at first until he heard it too.

"Oh, yes...oh Benji!"

"Be my Leia! Be my Leia!"

Jesse's eyes grew wider and he mouthed "What the fuck?"

Beca tilted her head towards the door.

Jesse shook his. Too risky to leave. _Was he kidding?_

They argued silently with their eyes for a few moments before Jesse pulled the comforter over them more to cover them. Should they get up, make a noise and interrupt the couple? Didn't Jesse put a sock on the door? Would Benji have even understood what the sock meant (she had her theories about Benji being a virgin)? _Oh god, was she in the room when Benji was losing his virginity? Ew!_ Now she had sex with Jesse in Benji and Jesse's room last year, they had the decency to do it when Benji or Kimmy Jin were out of the room for awhile.

Beca contemplated just jumping up and running out of the room. A few minutes went by, and she was about to jump up, when Jesse whispered, "I think he passed out. They both have. They's so drunk."

"Did they?" she asked, skeptical. She peeked over the comforter to see Benji on the floor and the girl still clothed, snoring.

"What if they wake back up?"

"They won't. He's passed out."

"This is so gross. She snores like a bear."

Suddenly and stealthily, she noticed Jesse reach up on his night table and grab his iPod. He plugged on earplug in her ear and the other in his, and turned up one of the Techno Mixes she forced him to download. It helped drown out the snoring, but the idea they were still in the room creeped her out a bit. Jesse pulled her closer to him, and deeper into the comforter, surrounding them in a cocoon. Beca awkwardly laid there, listening to the bass of the music, feeling Jesse breathe beside her as he fell back to sleep. The negative thoughts were trying to creep back in her brain. Beca's eyes felt heavy as she tried to drift back off to a place where Benji wasn't having sex, Fay Amy wasn't having sex, the stress from her life was temporarily gone, and it was just the two of them.

_****Put a little sex in it this time. Testing the waters.**_

_**Raiders of the Lost Ark.**_

_**One Direction "One Thing"**_

_**One Republic "Good Life"**_


	5. Chapter 5

The light filtered in through tiny pin pricked holes, but in totality, it seemed overwhelming. She could see everything and nothing all at once, and even when she slammed her eyes shut, all she saw was this unyielding light. There was a slight beat in her mind, and she rode and danced along to it, a sweet melody she was sure only she could hear. It was soft and alluring, with a bass so low but distinct, and she strained to hear it, to feel it as it coursed its way from her toes upward. Beca opened her eyes again, and she felt outside of herself. _She liked this feeling_. _She needed this feeling_. She thinks of Al Greene songs and Lady Antebellum for some reason, she thinks of soft haunting sounds of Feist. She's coming up with a whole list of mixes just off this moment. It's a melody she can follow, something simple yet earth shattering. Suddenly, nothing else penetrated her mind, but she felt everything as if her pores had opened and cold air kissed them. The winding in the pit of her stomach, the slight pressure in her ears, and the tiny song that played were all from the same source.

She wondered why she couldn't feel this way all the time- this open, vulnerable, and exposed. Part of her wanted to be powerless, to relinquish that control to someone or something else. It was liberating, intense… and before she could think of anymore words, the coil that had wrapped tightly in her core unraveled fiercely and loudly, and Beca's hand dove down into the brown hair of the boy who was now feather kissing her inner thighs.

_God, she was going to be late for Chemistry._

The orgasm shot straight through her and she was completely undone. He really does know how to use his mouth for the most beautiful things. She appreciated it, even when she's being her usual sarcastic edgy self, she knew he loved her and she loved him right back. So when he did things like set up a reason for them to detour to his room in the middle of the day because all the Trebles are gone, and he thought he left his wallet in his room and he needs it later, but then he pulls her to him while they were supposed to be looking for said wallet...and she's really appreciative of his creativity at this moment.

Beca just laid there, breathless and sated, as Jesse lifted himself upward, looking a little too smug that he made her cry out like that, and if she wasn't so intoxicated from his awesome activities on the sensitive parts of her body, she'd wipe that look off his face.

_Right now, she just wanted to go to sleep._

"Hey sleepy face, you have Chemistry in like ten minutes," he replies, moving next to her.

"Like you care. We were just supposed to come pick up your ID so we could go to dinner right after class. Look at what that turned into," Beca sat up to pull up her panties and jeans as Jesse snickered.

"Oh. I almost forgot...again. My ID," he reached into his back pocket and pulled out the wallet. "Wow, look at that, it _was_ with me the whole time."

She tried to slap his arm, but it lacked the energy or the sting to make a difference. She fell back to button her pants and catch her breath. "I really don't want to go to class."

She wasn't saying it to Jesse, but really to the universe. She didn't want to go to class, any of them really. School was becoming such a hassle. If she was the least bit interested in her classes, she could muster the strength to make it, but Chemistry was not her thing and she wasn't going to apply that in any form to her career goals. It was a waste of time and she could easily list other things that she could be doing instead.

Jesse was over at the sink brushing his teeth and gargling. She watched him from her position on his bed, wondering how well he was doing in his classes. The thing about Jesse was he was a go with the flow kind of guy, and she was pretty sure no matter how ridiculously unnecessary the class was, Jesse would show up.

He walked back over to her, "Nope. Get up."

"I don't wanna."

"I gave you incentive," he wagged his eyebrows as she glared at him.

He grabbed her hands and lifted her towards him. "Is that the only reason? I thought its because you lured me here under false pretenses and then decided I was lunch."

"Pretty much. Come on, I'll walk you to class."

On the way, they chatted about non sensical things. She liked that, Jesse was so animated, sometimes he could carry on a conversation by himself. They stopped in front of her Chemistry class and she leaned to kiss him goodbye.

"That's for, ya know...breaking me off," she teased. "You off to your film lab?"

"Thanks for catering lunch," he teased back. "And yeah, I have this partner who is really excited to work with me."

"Ah, that's because they don't know you. Give it time, they'll grow to be annoyed by you as much as I am."

"Clearly," he winked, brushing hair out of her face. "See you later?"

"Maybe. Bye," she shrugged playfully as he walked towards his class and she reluctantly went to hers.

* * *

After a busy week, Beca finally was able to lay out in the quad in front of her dorm, and just meditate. Her muscles ached, and she could feel the beginnings of a migraine happening. She just wanted to lay out in the grass, and just...do absolutely nothing but listen to her music, a new mixtape she spent way too much money buying.

For once, she didn't want to stress about teaching the girls choreography, or arguing with Aubrey about the pillars of aca-leadership, or listening to Stacie talk about how much her yeast infection is interfering with her dating. All Beca wanted to do was chill, and since she wasn't meeting Jesse until later, now was the perfect time to but on her headphones and drown out the world. So of course the moment Beca laid back and closed her eyes, feeling the fall sun on her face, she hears the most annoying voice looming over her.

"Tanning? I mean, as pale and pasty as you are, isn't that what vampires want? Translucent skin?"

She opened one eye to see Bumper towering over her, with that eat shit grin on his face. She followed her first instinct which was to ignore him, and turned up her music louder. If she drowned him out with a Flosstradamus mix, maybe he'll go away.

She forgot Bumper was one insistent hobbit, and he took the initiative to sit next to her. And just like that, her day was ruined.

As she pulled off her headphones, she laid a glare on him that could make a grown man shiver. "What do you want?"

"Why are you so hateful towards me? I mean, I know my personality is not the sunniest, and I know I use too much sarcasm to mask my inner demons, but I haven't done anything personally towards you, have I?"

She took his face in for a moment, knowing he's incapable of sincerity despite his little Oscar winning speech. " I don't like you because I don't like how you treat Amy and you know she likes you. I don't like you because of how you treat Jesse. I don't like you because of how you treat Benji. And...well, I just don't like you."

She laid a fake grin on Bumper. "Now go somewhere and leave me the fuck alone."

"You know, Beca, you and I, are very similar. I mean, I watched Aubrey drag the Bellas down with her inability to compromise, and her lack of talent...but you...no, you have it in spades. I've seen it, well...I heard it...okay, Donald sent me a clip on Youtube of your performance and I was impressed. I think we could help each other, you know what I'm saying."

"No," Beca replied. "Why would I help you do anything? Why am I even talking to you right now?"

"Because you care about Jesse and Benji just as much as you want to win this whole thing."

"I did it without your help last year," she shrugged. "I think I'll be okay."

"You're missing out. I know a way for both of our groups to maximize on the ICCAs. Get all of our names out there. We'll be all anyone is talking about."

Beca just wrapped her headphones up, giving up on spending anytime relaxing. "Speaking of, when will we get to hear your auto-tuned voice on one of John Mayers songs? I've been looking on iTunes. I don't see your name at all."

"Ah, that was mean. That...that one stung. How about this, I'll send you a copy so you can play it on the pity slot they gave you at the radio station. You know, the one with like, three listeners."

"That's nice they gave you a copy. Did you get that with your plane ticket when they sent you home?"

"Hmmmm," Bumper grunted, trying to formulate a comeback. "You and Jesse, right? Jesse, he's such a nice fellow. A real nice guy. I don't like him...but the other guys do. How's that working for ya? He's so positive and you're probably like cutting yourself and watching Tim Burton movies because you like being depressed..."

"You can get up and leave now," Beca said sternly.

Bumper thought better of pushing the subject further. "Fine, fine. Don't say I didn't offer you a chance to keep your title. I mean, I have hundreds...okay...dozens...well about five of them, under my belt. I know what it takes to win."

"I'm sure."

"You must like losing."

"Ya know, Bumper, I'm going to go back to my room, and watch as much CSI and Criminal Minds, that I can, and then I'm going to kill you and bury your ass in the dung heap of the nearest zoo if you don't leave me alone right now," Beca growled as Bumper stood up, his hands spread out as if to surrender. "And stay away from Amy you piece of crap!"

He turned and shook his head before running in another direction. Beca's eyes followed him, a sense of gloom forming over her. _What was Bumper planning? She should have turned him down?_

* * *

"I heard you were threatening Bumper," Amy grinned, leaning on the piano as the girls wrapped up their practice.

"Did he run and tell you that? " Beca smirked. "Really, I just don't get you two. You can do so much better than hooking up with that little troll."

"Yeah but we don't really have in depth conversations and nothing. I mean, I could care less how Bumper feels about politics or the results of Dancing with the Stars, if you know what I mean. He's strictly around to invade my sandy beaches, if you catch my drift."

Beca grimaced at the thought of Bumper and Amy. "Ew."

Just then, one of the freshman approached the girls. Beca was trying to work with the girl on getting the choreography right, she had watched the freshman have an internal breakdown and she felt her pain. They barely won the Riff Off, thats to a nice save by Cynthia Rose and Ashley's rendition of an N'Sync's "_Bye Bye_". The freshman girls were still green, and Beca wanted to make sure she worked with Marty and got her on point with the songs and the choreography. Aubrey, in all her obnoxious glory, did point out what Beca saw, the potential was there but Marty had to put in all the work. Marty was the typical Southern Belle, spoiled and annoying, but she could sing if she got her shit together instead of bitching about the notes.

"I'm so sorry about this Riff Off thing," Marty sighed.

"Don't be, it's supposed to be for fun. I mean, haven't I made it fun, for you guys to practice I mean?" Beca looked over to Amy who made a face. "Really, have I been that much of a dictator?"

"Just a little bit. Like, its like you're a mini Aubrey," Amy tried to make her feel better. "I mean, I don't want to kick you in the teeth yet."

Beca seemed shocked by this. She wasn't aware she had been so overbearing in her routines. Well, she didn't think the CD compilation of 80s and 90's hits were too much, or the random pop quizzes. She thought when Jesse chided her on being the Hermoine Granger of A capella, he was speaking more about her wit and not her obsessive nature. Suddenly, she felt bad for her treatment of the girls, but it was all in good spirit. "Oh shit, that's not cool. I...I didn't know I was that bad."

Marty shrugged. "We were this close to staging a takeover."

"What? I was not that bad. Seriously. Jeez..."

"Don't sweat it, when you're not torturing me with a Katy Perry cover, I was wondering could you help me with something else?"

"Me help you?" Beca looked at a confused Amy and then back to Marty. "Okay, sure, I guess. A leader helps. How can I help you?"

Marty stood straight and took a deep breath. Seemed serious. "Right, okay so there's this guy..."

"Oh, _no. No...no_. I suck at relationship advice," Beca shook her head. "Ask Amy."

Marty turned to Amy who merely said, "Always put out. Only advice you'll ever need."

"Okay, nevermind. Don't listen to Amy," Beca shook her head at Amy's advice.

Marty gathered her thoughts and then looked seriously at Beca, "Okay, really, there's this guy I have a super huge crush on. I want to approach him because it's been two weeks since they paired us in a lab together and he hasn't made a move. I just need someone to tell me how to approach this guy. He's older and hotter than all the guys I'm used to dating. I mean, his smile, gah, it's the shits."

"Wow, some smile," Beca rolled her eyes and Amy chuckled. "So go talk to him."

"It's not that easy. He's like, older and more mature. I don't want to seem like a total Becky in from of him."

"Let me take a wild stab at this. You want me to check this guy out for you, don't you?"

"Just as a segway," Marty nodded, this time more enthusiastically.

Beca could not help with this. She had to be lead into her own relationship. "No. Do I look like E-harmony?"

"Beca, _puhlease_...I'll do anything."

"No. I can't. I'm not even good with guys. Besides, this is college. Guys don't care, as long as you are breathing, they will bang you."

"Come on, what else can I do to get you to help me? I really like him Beca."

"Ugh, god," Beca scrubbed her face with her hands, and then looked annoyed at the doe eyed freshman. "If I do this, will you practice more?"

"All the time. Everyday. All day. Even in my sleep."

"Such a liar. He's that cute?"

"_Biebs hot_."

"Wow. _The Biebs_...he's off the scales," Beca mocked, gathering her things. "Well if he's that hot, how can I say no?"

Marty hopped up and down, clapping happily.

Beca thought for a minute."Fine, I'll talk to him. Who's this hot Bieber looking guy?"

"Yeah, if he's as hot as a Canadian prepubescent singer, I surely want to meet him," mocked Amy.

Marty could barely contain her grin. "Jesse. His name is Jesse."

**_**Uh oh! Sorry it took so long. Last semester of Grad school is a bitch and a half.**_**


	6. Chapter 6

She watched him watch her pick over her pizza, and he's a little worried. Beca, unlike most girls he knew, had a hearty appetite, she could put burgers away that people won awards for eating. Despite her petite self, the way to his girl's heart was two ways, music and food. But lately, the last week or so, she'd been eating less and less, and honestly, he was concerned. She looked pale, and though he'd think her beautiful no matter what she looked like, she looked sick. She was bundled up in one of his oversized sweaters and she was complaining she was still cold.

He sipped his soda, and eyed her, not saying much, just watching her pick each individual pepperoni and olive off her pizza, even though it was her favorite. _Something was wrong_. He paused the movie they were watching, and asked, "Okay, so that face means one or two things. They got your order wrong at Starbucks, or you're obsessing in your head about something. And clearly, we're not in a Starbucks...so..."

She glared at him and shoved her plate to the side. He always does that, reads her when she doesn't want to be read. Suddenly, her fleeting appetite was completely gone. "It's nothing...just...nevermind...I..."

"Well is it nothing...or is it really something you don't want to talk about?"

Beca shifted and looked at him. He just has this way of coaxing her into talking. She kind of hates that. "Fine. I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me."

"Sounds ominous..." he joked but the look Beca leveled on him made him stop. "Okay. Lay it on me."

"Do you know a freshman named Marty?"

"Marty? Yes, yes...Marty. Yeah, my film lab partner. Why? Wassup?"

"Well...Are you aware she has an unyielding crush on you and approached me in efforts to hook you two up?"

Jesse's face went red and his eyes widened in surprise. "What?!"

"Yeah..." Beca sighed. It wasn't so much she was worried that Jesse would do something. She just didn't like the idea of other girls wanting him. Well, honestly she probably couldn't control that either but she would more than appreciate if they didn't come to her and ask ways to date him. Plus Jesse, being the total nerd he was didn't think he was a chick magnet. He didn't realize what chicks love more than anything is good guy, but also a taken one.

"That's ah-" he began to say and Beca's face got scarier. "I was going to say awkward. _Awkward_. For you. And me. For everyone really."

"Yeah, but I basically told her I would help her. So here's my pitch. You can leave all this," Beca gestured to herself, "...for that girl. Make your decision accordingly."

He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head to play along. He rarely saw a jealous Beca, so he was a little bit amused. "Wow. So wait, you offered me up? What should I do? Over here, I have you-a girlfriend who would punch a grown man in the face and go to jail for me...and proposition me for other women...while over there, I have a girl I barely talk to after class. The decisions."

"I didn't plan on going to jail for you, it just happened."

"Still, that's loyalty...so, I think I'll keep you, he shrugged.

Beca gave a half smile and then looked down. "And honestly I don't think she'll have you anyway after I told her about the back acne you have and the horrible habit of spitting when you talk."

"Wow," he exclaimed. "That's...thank you for that...thanks."

"Welcome."

"And you know, I wouldn't cheat on you. I'm not like...that kind of guy. I mean, we might break up over the fact you don't like the Avengers, but cheating won't be an issue for me."

"Don't say that. You never know."

He put his plate down and looked at her very seriously. "You really think that of me?"

Beca looked at his face and he looked so sincere but how could he promise that. They were in college. People cheat. People lie. People break up. So she just smiled, shook her head, and touched his face.

"Is it okay if she's still my film lab partner? Can I look her in the eye without fearing your wrath?"

"Maybe...just...stop being the way you are. It's making girls like you," Beca whined and he found that precious.

"I mean, its a gift, but I will try to stop. No promises though."

"All I ask. Tell her I have a mean right hook."

He leaned back and started the movie again. Beca scooted closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. "I feel like crap. I look like shit. I think I'm coming down with the flu."

"You're beautiful," was all he said as Harry Potter found out he was a wizard on his television screen.

* * *

"You look awful."

Beca frowned at the computer screen, resisting the urge to give Aubrey the finger over Skype. Even now, even as friends, Aubrey could get under her skin and royally piss her off.

"Thanks Aubrey. I've been trying this new thing. It's called stress."

Her eyes maneuvered over to Chloe's box, who looked uncomfortable with exchange. Or…maybe with the fact she agreed with Aubrey. "You just look so tired. A little." _That's Chloe, trying to make something sound a little less offensive. FAIL_.

Beca sighed heavily, sitting down on the piano bench. In a few minutes, the girls would be here ready to practice and hear about the Regionals from the two veterans, but all anyone could focus on was that Beca wasn't picture perfect.

Which was ridiculous because she totally brushed her hair this morning, and sure, she didn't have time or energy to put on a full face of makeup, but she didn't look that bad. Her hair was piled in a messy bun, she had on Jesse's well worn Alf t-shirt, and some legging. Under her eyes, dark circles were forming, but Beca knew she had very little time to remedy those with sleep. When she got up this morning, she could hardly drag herself to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She just felt so heavy and tired.

_"Um, I hope this isn't, like, a teen mom situation," Fat Amy teased._

_Beca narrowed her eyes. No matter how much sex she had with Jesse, neither of them wanted a kid, and were both careful, so that was never an option. She wasn't pregnant, in fact her period was last week. No this was something else, lurking, wrecking havoc in her body. "Nope. I'm so careful, the immaculate conception wouldn't get in here, ok?"_

_"Someone's moody. You look awful though. Around the eyes. Ah man, did you go on a bender without me?!" Amy clucked as her room mate stomped out of the room._

Beca didn't think she looked that bad—well, at least she didn't really care how she looked. She had to get these Bellas in some sort of order soon. A migraine was setting in for sure, and her throat felt scratchy. And everywhere she went, it felt like someone turned up the A/C.

"Look, I need you guys to focus. I don't want to lose this year, and I'm not that familiar with the rules. Besides, you know I like to break them. That and…I want you to meet the new girls. Not discuss how I look like a troll."

"Not exactly a troll…"Chloe sighed. "Not a _troll_ at all. No one said troll."

"I didn't say that." Aubrey muttered. "You just look a little sick. Are you coming down with something?"

"Yeah, annoyance," Beca hissed and then shook off her anger. "Look, sorry guys. Really, I might have a cold. It's not cancer, can we focus?"

The girls entered at that moment, and the three were relieved. Beca doesn't want to snap at them, they're her friends, and she was feeling crappy but she didn't want to acknowledge it. She'd spent the last part of the week ignoring her boyfriend, neglecting her homework, and avoiding her father's phone calls, all because she wanted to concentrate on a new playlist and new moves.

The Bellas settled in front of Beca's Macbook, and Aubrey went through way to win with so much precision- Beca was sure she would link to a Powerpoint presentation. The new girls soaked in all the information, and Chloe was kind enough to soften Aubrey's sharp commentary on Reagan's attire and Marty's clown makeup. They watched as the girls sung a few snippets and performed choreography in preparation for the Regionals, giving tips about what would work and what wouldn't. To end the session, Aubrey gave a tearful goodbye to her Bellas, saying she really did miss them, and winning didn't matter, just do their best. Chloe showed off her big engagement ring.

As the girls filtered out, Beca finished up the session with the former leaders.

"So?"

Chloe smiled, "I like them. I see potential."

"That Marty is still a disaster," Aubrey replied, and Beca had noticed Marty had issues following directions, but like herself, she was a rule breaker.

"Oh Aubrey, she's not that bad." Positive Chloe to the rescue; the _Paula Abdul of the Barden Bellas._

"Her singing was off key, she dances like a deranged Teletubbie-"

"What's a Teletubbie?" Fat Amy whispered to Beca.

Beca nodded and whispered back, "I'll show you on Youtube. It's pretty fucked up."

Aubrey continued her rant, "And really, has Stacie lost the will to be in sync?"

"Aubrey, chill out. I'll work with her," Beca knew there were rough patches, but like her, these girls deserved a chance. "The songs? What about those?"

"Oh my god, this is boring!" Fat Amy yelped, listening to the commentary. "Seriously, this is a cappella, not surgery. And honestly, don't you want to hear more about how Chloe got that huge ass boulder on her finger than worrying about the play list?"

"Not really," Beca muttered but by then Chloe flashed her ring finger again, smiling and even Aubrey was shooting off questions about the engagement.

Beca really didn't want to hear about it right now. She wanted to concentrate on the playlist, on getting this right. However, she was too tired to protest as Chloe launched into her engagement story. Her migraine was getting worse, but none of the girls seemed to care as they chatted about everything other than the Bellas.

* * *

"Beca? Can I see you for a moment?" her professor called as the students filed out.

She gathered her things and cautiously walked to the front. No one likes to be called to stay by their professor. Sure, she'd turned in a few assignments late, and didn't seem to particularly interested in Tolstoy, but she didn't think she'd done that bad.

As her professor packed his items into his briefcase, he looked at the timid student standing in front of him. She'd been in class, but he could tell when a student was mentally absent. She looked so bored, he started to wonder was he just that bad of a professor. He knew Prof. Mitchell well, and didn't want to be the one to fail his daughter.

"How are you doing Beca?"

"Fine, I guess."

"Look, I'm a bit concerned. I know your father, and you're a bright student, but these last couple of weeks, you have this look in your eyes like you couldn't give two shits about this class."

Beca shifted uncomfortably. Actually, he was right. She couldn't give an infinite amount of shits about the class, but she's committed to this place now, and she knows she needs to shape up. It's just…there's no time, and she can give a list of excuses to why she's messing up her school work, but she doubts he'd accept the Bellas as a valid reason. So instead, she admonishes herself internally, she has to do better, she has to carve out some time for school, in between Bellas rehearsals, her radio job, Jesse, and sleep.

"I'll do better," is all she offered. "I promise."

"And Beca?"

"Yeah?" she turned to look at the professor.

"Go to the health center. You don't look so good."

* * *

The knock was so soft, if Beca had on her headphones she wouldn't have heard it. She was trying to study and the Health Center declared she coming down with the flu. She had a slight fever and just felt like utter crap. Amy was staying somewhere...she had a phobia of flu like diseases, as she called it. Jesse would come by later with some soup and crackers. Her father called and told her to take it easy. People were making too much fuss, but it gave Beca downtime she needed to focus on work. If she could stop choking and coughing on her own mucus long enough. She slowly got up and walked over to the door, opening it to see Marty standing there.

"Hey," Beca stepped aside and Marty entered. They hadn't really spoken about anything outside of the Bellas for the last few weeks, and now Beca had to tell her about why she couldn't hook her up with Jesse. She'd been avoiding it, it was not a conversation she wanted to have. It was just way too awkward and weird. The freshman girl smiled and sat on Beca's bed.

"So? Are you okay?"

"Fine. Well...just a little sick."

"Ew," Marty said, looking at the discarded tissues all over Beca's bed.

"So, I asked you to come by for a reason," Beca played with her fingers, trying to figure out a way to say what she needed to say. "The thing...so yeah, I can't do the thing for you."

"What? Ask out Jesse?"

"Yeah, I can't do that," Beca shrugged hoping to end this conversation all together.

"Um...okay, but you said..."

"I know I did, but there is a slight conflict of interest."

Marty frowned. "Like?"

Beca stood against the door and leveled eyes with the poor girl. She took no pleasure in hurting this girl's feelings like she probably should. But here was this freshman entranced by the very guy that caught Beca's eye and it made a small but aggressive green eyed monster come out in her. "Here's the thing...Jesse...he can't be with you. He's taken."

"Yeah I know," Marty shrugged. "He talks about his girlfriend all the time. She sounds obnoxious."

Beca cut her eyes at the girl. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, I mean he's like all happy and sweet and when he talks about his girlfriend, from what I gather, she's a mega bitch, he just can't see it."

"Heh," Beca clucked her tongue. "So you don't care he's got a girlfriend?"

"Nope. He's not married. Girlfriends can be replaced," Marty winked.

"That's cute. Real sweet. Well...Marty...you can't date him. He's not breaking up with his girlfriend. So, sorry I can't help you."

"Did he say that?"

"Yeah, he kind of did," Beca said harshly, opening her dorm room door. "But, I have to cut this short, I have to study."

Marty looked confused and stood up. "Well...I'll just have to work this another way."

Beca leaned her head against the door as she watched the girl leave. "Or, find someone else."

"You don't get it," Marty frowned. "No. I want him. He's just...he's amazing. He's smart, funny, he loves movies, and I think he's Jewish, which would thrill my mother..."

"Uh," Beca rolled her eyes.

"Jesse, like all guys just needs persuading," she smirked. "Ya know, you might want to put on some makeup. Even while sick, you should never let yourself go like this. And clean up a bit. Maybe you then you can talk to guys."

Beca was taken aback by the gull of this girl. As the freshman turned to walk down the hall, Beca called out to her. "Marty?"

"Yea?"

Beca didn't even care about anyone else within earshot as she yelled, "Jesse he's my...boyfriend. And he fucks me with or without makeup all the time."

Didn't matter to her that she heard gasps. Beca slammed the door and smiled devilishly before going into a coughing fit. She got what she wanted. The rejected look on Marty's face. And no fucks were given.


	7. Chapter 7

She's barely recovered from having the got damned flu, but she couldn't stop to think about how much her body still aches when she was belting out the final bars to the Regionals playlist she'd been working so hard on. She ended on the high note, her throat on fire, waving hands raised all around her, the sound of heavy breathing filled her ears, and she lowered the fake mic from her lips, cut her eyes and breathed out, "I think we should do it again."

The groans from the other Bellas fill the air, and Beca knows they are tired, hell she's more tired than most of them, but they have to get this right. She remembers the faces in the audience last year, annoyed, bored, not entertained, and she'd be damned if she lets that happen again. She ignored Fat Amy whining, Lily pretending to pass out from exhaustion, and Marty's bitter glare as she stepped back on her mark, and cleared her throat. The other Bellas groan and bitch, but ultimately they are driven like she is, and they slowly and frustratingly get back into place.

"_Sorry guys...it's just..." she offers but she's met with complaints._

"_My knee caps, are about to fall off," whines Ashley._

"_I can't feel my face, the smiling. I think my face nerves are in shock."_

"_I'm like...fucking hungry."_

"_I have to pee."_

"_Is Lily dead?"_

"_Can we do this? I have class at like eight in the morning."_

"_No seriously, guys, is Lily okay? She's not moving."_

"_She's fine. Let's just do this...and then we can go."_

She partly feels bad for driving them, she hates exerting energy just as much as anyone (she's pretty damn lazy actually), but she knows this is the only way she can make this set work. Another two rounds and more insistent and defiant groans, she finally wrapped rehearsal. The girls dragged their worn bodies out the door, with Fat Amy still lying flat on the floor wheezing and Ashley having a very animated discussion with Marty and Robin.

Beca sat down finally, and downed her entire bottle of water in four swallows.

"I'm dying...my lungs...my bronchial tubes," Fat Amy wheezed. Beca just stares down at her poor room mate, and silently offered her her one of the water bottles, which she snatched from her position on the floor.

"You gonna be alright?" Beca asked, and Amy waves her off.

"Oh yeah, I wheeze like this all the time! No big deal," Fat Amy replied, sarcasm oozing in her answer. Regardless of her depleted state, she'd always have energy for that. Beca watched Amy make a dramatic scene of having to sit up to take a sip of her water. "Breathing's optional, you know."

Beca playfully rolled her eyes. "You're alright."

She's still trying to mentally shut down from rehearsals. Her mind starts filing all the mistakes, all the missed choreography and she hates that she gets so OCD about this. The Bellas had so much talent, and she didn't want to beat it out of them because she's so wound up. Beca shook off her anxiety, then watched Marty for a minute, realizing she hadn't spoken to the girl since she screamed her sexual exploits with Jesse at Marty. In a way, maybe she over reacted? She wasn't convinced she was, but surely she could have handled Marty a bit better. Hard to do though, when said girl is making a play for your personal man candy and then telling you that you're a hot mess. The dynamic has changed between them, and it wasn't good for the Bellas. Marty, while physically present, was even more distant and distracted. No matter what Beca felt about her own pride, she didn't think the girl was that much of a bitch.

"Hey Marty," she found her self calling out to the girl, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Marty hesitated, and in a small way, Beca felt triumphant, and then felt like shit. She's intimidated the girl that much and really, she didn't have to.

Marty walked over to Beca, and Fat Amy took the opportunity to sit up and eaves drop.

Beca's not sure what to say to smooth this over. She wasn't sorry because as much as she loved her Bellas, Jesse was the one person in this whole place she found herself giving more parts to, more than the average person she's encountered. So yeah, she's a little protective over their relationship. And then there's Marty, one of her new Bellas, a bit like herself, talented, and looking at her now with a confused look on her face. Maybe she should talk first.

"Look, I just wanted to talk to you. Last time, things didn't go so well..."

Marty grimaced. "Understatement. Seriously."

"Yeah...that...okay, well, put yourself in my position-"

"I think that was the problem, she wanted your position...under Jesse," Fat Amy offered but Beca cut her eyes and Fat Amy clamped her lips together.

Beca breathed in a cleansing breathe as she said, "No really. Jesse and I...I didn't handle it well, I should have told you he was my boyfriend the day you told me he was your crush."

"Well yeah, instead of screaming at me about him fucking you..."

"Whoa!" Fat Amy yelped, then remembered she was supposed to be silent.

"That was...that did escalate quickly," Beca nodded. "But in my defense, I had the flu, you wanted my boyfriend, and...you kind of called me obnoxious."

"I was just...I really liked him. He's a great guy, ya know. And I didn't know he was your boyfriend! How the hell was I supposed to know? Besides, I thought...well...honestly I thought you were kind of a lesbian."

"Uh..." Beca's jaw dropped and Amy clapped her hand over her mouth. "Nope...not a lesbian. Why would you...? Um...nevermind."

"It's the ear spike, isn't it?" Amy asked.

Marty shrugged as Beca collected herself. Beca replied, "Well, I'm very much into Jesse, so obviously...not. But you know what, doesn't matter. Um, what matters is that we do well at the Regionals. Okay?"

"Yeah, I think I can focus on that."

"Alright...this has been illuminating. For us both. You can go," she forced out, as Marty turned and left.

Fat Amy stood up and walked beside her. Beca turned to her. "Did you think that about me?"

Surely Fat Amy would tell her the truth. "That you were a lesbian? Not really. But I didn't think you liked boys either. I'd think you're more apt to fuck a unicorn than a human."

Beca furrowed her brow in confusion. "What?!"

* * *

A knock at her dorm door annoyed her because Jesse knows full well to just walk in when she mixing. She hates being interrupted and he hates being glared at, so one would think he'd avoid it by just coming in. But the knock comes again and Beca realizes it's not Jesse, it's some new person who doesn't know the house rules or that after four thirty in the afternoon, it's her mix time.

Beca stomped over to the door, throwing it open to see her father standing there. "Dad?"

"You gonna invite me in?"

She nodded and stepped back, watching her father walk in a take a seat on her unmade bed. She wondered what this visit is for, he's done well in giving her space and the ability to become her own person and not "_the Professor's kid_", so their visits are usually done at Sunday dinners or when she needs a ride somewhere and Jesse's busy.

He doesn't look happy, or angry, more pensive and concerned. He was looking at her computer, which has her current mix uploaded.

Suddenly, she wished she had changed into real pants and not her penguin pajama pants. The seriousness of this impending conversation is coming off him in waves.

"What a totally unexpected visit. What's up?"

He looked away from her computer and gave a half smile. "I know about your grades."

Suddenly her chest felt heavy and she's not sure how to respond. She'd been working hard...well..._kind of hard_, to re-establish a passing grade, but there wasn't much time. Between the Bellas, class, and Jesse, she's also still working on her mixes from her radio show.

"Dad, I'm working on it..I promise. It's not as bad-"

"Don't finish that sentence. It'll only make me more upset. I'm not happy right now. One of my own colleagues thought I should know my own daughter is failing his class. I mean, Beca, really? You have an opportunity here, and I thought we were clear on the rules?"

She shook her head. "Crystal, it's just...I've got alot going on and-"

"Class is more important. Nothing is more important than school. You're throwing your life away, Beca!"

He forgets this wasn't even her idea. If she had it her way, she'd be feeling the warm Los Angeles breeze against her skin and inhaling smog. But he pushed for her to come here, and she's here, and what the fuck else does he want?

"I'm not throwing anything away, and you are overreacting. I've already talked to that snitch of a professor. I'm doing extra credit, and I'm going to study more."

He looked back to her computer. "Is this studying? This is what studying looks like?"

"No...I'm taking a break," she said, getting irritated.

"Right, come on, Beca. I'm trying here. You have to try too."

"I've done what you asked!" she threw up her hands. "I'm here. I'm in school. I'm in the Bellas. I'm at the radio station. I'm invested. What more do you want?"

He sighed. "I want you to focus. On the right things. Which unfortunately means, you're going to have to give up one of those other things, Beca. You obviously can't handle all of them without one, the most important one, suffering. I know you think it's not a big deal, but it is. Free education, Beca. _Free_. There are kids getting rejection letters right now, and you have it all right here, yet you squander it."

Even though her father was right, she couldn't squelch the need to be a smart ass. "Well...technically, I'm doing beyond what you asked. I could be in L.A. right now."

"Well you aren't. And you won't ever be if you don't get your priorities straight young lady. Even your mom-"

"Oh please. Why are we even involving her? She couldn't even drive me to the airport to get here," she paused, drawing back this bitterness towards her parents that she harbors. She knows she's overstepping a line, so she cleared her thoughts. "Look, I'll do better. I promise, alright?"

Her father looked at her and sighed. "Last chance, Beca. Because if you don't get those grades up, you won't be going to L.A. You're going back to D.C. and getting a job, a real one. That's what your mother wants. Understand? It's your last chance."

Beca couldn't even look at her father's disappointed face. She starred out the window into the quad, watching people her age frolic around like there wasn't a problem in the world. "Got it."

* * *

If she could cite a physical location as an allergy, it would be the library. Public, private, academic, even a small set of books, Beca literally had an aversion to them. Maybe because before her parents imploded her family structure, her father's study was crowded with books, stacked unceremoniously in every corner, and then when he left, the empty space mocked her. She's not sure how deep it goes into her psyche, but she does know that she'd rather be anywhere else but in the library.

It's a maze of confusion, created by self important people who devised a system of organization meant to hinder the everyday man from finding what the fuck they needed in the least amount of time as possible. Beca crept through the stacks, huffing as she scanned the multitude of books she needed for her paper.

She made a promise after talking to her dad, she'd have to give up something, and she stayed up a long time pondering what she was willing to give up. She couldn't give up on the Bellas, she'd gone through too much with them. She did love her awesome band of misfit nerds who happened to sing with their mouths and dance with their feet. To leave them would negate one of her main reasons to stay at Barden. She wasn't going to give them up.

The other big reason was a boy named Jesse. She thought about all those cheesy romance movies he's forced her to watch, and she knew her love life is not as easy or sweet as that, because those chicks aren't real. But she really is in love with someone who loves her. For someone who rarely gets excited about anything (well except new mix-tapes), the fact that when Jesse comes into a room, or makes eye contact with her and flashes his goofy child like grin, there is this weird fluttering thing that happens in her stomach. When they have sex, she half expects him to cry, he's so fucking sensitive to her, but he doesn't. Instead, unlike most asshole college boys who stick and split, Jesse kisses her nose, her forehead, and her lips as he moves to lay beside her, and stays...folding his arms around her. He stays, unlike most of the people who have disappointed her in her life. Of course, he might ruin the moment by making a stupid joke about the being a sex god or something, but she needs that. He wants to be with her despite her smarmy little attitude and her patented death glares. Sure, its time she could be studying, but she'd rather be arguing with him about how vampires are not supposed to sparkle, than doing work. For once, she feels love from someone not obligated to care for her because of biology. _How is she supposed to give that up?_

Speaking of, her phone rang and bounced against the acoustics of the library rafters. She forgot this place likes silence...and goes to answer it. _Jesse calling..._

"Hello?" she whispered.

"Um...Beca?"

"Yeah... look, I can't talk right now."

"I was headed to the station. Are you okay? Why are you whispering?"

"Library."

"Oh. Wow. You're in the library. Are you lost? How'd you know we had a library here?" _He's such a comedian._

"Shutup. I'll call you back later. There's a lynch mob forming if I don't go now."

She hit end before the collective glares from the other patrons gets worse. Finally finding her book, she pulled the dusty unused waste of paper from it's place and decided she was going to go all in.

* * *

His back was turned to her when she walked into the radio station; Luke was playing a Regina Spektor song she respects, and Jesse was humming it while putting CDs away. All of her afternoon was her mulling over making one of the most difficult decisions ever, but she decided she had to moved forward with it as she walked up to him.

He turned, and flashed a grin.

"Hey."

"Can I talk to you?"

He nodded and she sat against a table covered in discarded CD covers and vinyl they don't even really play.

"I can't do this anymore."

It tumbled out of her mouth and he cocked his chin and sat forward. "Um...okay. What happened?"

"I just don't have the time to do this anymore. School work, you know. I have to focus on school."

She watched as he covered his face and looked back at her. He's not mad, thankfully, but a little shocked, or annoyed maybe. "This leaves me in a bind, you know. I gave you what you wanted."

She patted her satchel and pursed her lips. "I know, and it sucks, but I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry."

"Is it school or is it something else?" His eyes cut to the other man in the room, who still hasn't noticed her presence.

"No, it's not him. It's me. And school. I mean, thank you for everything, really. It meant a lot to me to get a chance to do this."

"Okay," he shrugs nonchalantly, and sat back in his comfortable position. "Sucks you just gave me the 'i_ts me, not you_' speech."

"Yeah..." With that, she pushed off the table and walked out, walking towards the other guy.

Jesse turned around and smiled. "Hey you! You survived the library! I was going to send Benji in there to look for you. But he has a phobia about bookshelves, so...that didn't work."

"Made it out alive. Barely. Hey...um...I just told Luke I have to quit."

"What? Why?"

"It's... I need to focus a little more on school and stuff. I just wanted to '_sort my priorities_'."

He looked surprised and maybe a little sad she wouldn't be here with him everyday. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah. I mean, I am worried about the CDs, though. You're not a good stacker, sorry, I've wanted to tell you that for awhile."

"Whoa...harsh. My CD stacking skills are top notch," he smirked, then tapped her nose softly with a CD. "I understand. I get it. You have to do what you have to do with school, right?"

He shrugged in his boyish way and playfully elbowed her. Beca wondered if he realized he's partly the reason she just quit having her own show, and working with him everyday. It's either give up the Bellas, Jesse, or this job. She made her choice. She's not going to tell him, though. She had to give up something, but she wasn't about to give him up.

****THE REVIEWS. You guys are amazing. Seriously, thank you for all the great reviews. Please know I do read all of them and I am so touched by the response. **

*****Next up, the regionals.**


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm not singing it, Bumper!"

She rounded the corner to hear Jesse's protests.

"You will sing the Biebs and you will like it!" Bumper's voice demanded.

Beca stopped short of the door, and stood awkwardly in the hallway.

Jesse's voice got louder. "Any song. You could pick _any_ song, and you pick this?"

Beca felt like she should leave. She thought Treble practice would be over by now, but by the sound of it, she was wrong. Luke, despite her unceremoniously quitting her job, invited the couple to the Garage because he was playing one of Beca's mixes. Beca was excited, and had even put on her sparkly eyeshadow, but after three calls to Jesse, she figured she better head over to see what was keeping him.

They never lock their door and Beca was able to just walk in, not knowing what orgy or drunken a cappella mud fight she might come across. Instead she heard the raised voice of her boyfriend refusing to sing-_Justin Bieber_?

Out of nowhere, Benji rounded the corner and almost ran into her. He put his hands out to steady himself and accidentally swiped one of Beca's boobs.

"Oh my god, Beca! I'm so...oh my god! I didn't know you were right here and I was...oh...I'm so sorry," he waved his hands in front of her chest before placing them by his sides, looking absolutely devastated.

Beca shook off her own shock. Benji had touched her boob and almost went catatonic. "It's fine, Benji. It's fine. I swear."

"I'm so sorry, I just had to get out of there. Jesse's mad, Bumper's mad, Kolio's texting...it's all too much."

"I hear. Everything alright?"

"How much did you hear?"

"Not much. Is Jesse okay?"

Just as Benji was about to answer, Jesse rounded the corner and almost ran into them. "Whoa. Bec...how long have you been here?"

"Not that long. Benji was keeping me company."

As if some sort of human traffic jam, Bumper rounded the corner next, seeing the trio. "What the fuck is this? A girl scout meeting?"

Beca narrowed her eyes at him but Jesse stepped between them. "We're leaving. She just came by to get me."

"Don't care. Like, at all. None. All I know is, you better bring the angelic voice of that international teenaged superstar to life, by the Regionals. Got it buddy?" Bumper looked from Jesse over to Beca, eyeing her up and down. "Nice eyeshadow."

Beca, unable to play nice, responded, "Your polo shirt looks a little snug, Bumper. Beef jerky weight?"

He frowned, moving away from them. "It's just more cushion for the pushin'."

Everyone cringed at that image, for it was pleasant for no one.

Benji asked, "Hey, can I go with you guys? When Jesse's not here, Bumper throws trash at my head."

"What? Why?" Beca became livid. Benji was such a sweet guy, she hated to know he was being mistreated, even after supposedly being accepted into the Trebles.

Jesse shook his head. "Who knows, I guess Bumper brings out the worst in everybody. But come on, Benji. Let's go."

As the trio go to leave, Jesse put on his coat, then finally looked at his girlfriend, who took a little more time with her outfit. She always looked beautiful to him but tonight she looked delicious. "You look pretty."

"Thank you, Luke will be there, so I figured, here's my chance," Beca clucked her tongue and elbowed Jesse. He still got riled up when she made sexual comments about Luke. That amused her greatly. They walked out of the house and towards the club, following the other hoards of college students going out for the night.

"So..." her breath floated in white wisps because of the cold crisp air. "What was all that about?"

"You heard?" he asked as Beca nodded. "Our set. He's just...he asked to do the first set and he picks..."

"The Bieber," Benji sighs.

"Okay...What's the problem?" Beca shrugged.

"Plenty. Maybe because my balls have dropped? I'm a man? I can't sing the Biebs," Jesse felt insulted.

Beca never heard Jesse say he couldn't do something, even when he shouldn't. In fact, if he encounters an obstacle, he'll do his best to get over it. Or annoy it to death. It's strange to hear him say he can't or won't sing whatever song.

"Well you don't have to sound just like him," she shoved her hands in her pockets. "Make it your own."

"Or we can sing grown man songs. Because we're grown men."

Beca turned to face the two guys, walking backwards. "Music is music. Even when it's Carly Rae Jepsen."

"_Call Me Maybe_, such an epic song," Benji nodded.

Jesse shook his head. "No...just...no. That song gives me hives. And hey, isn't that associated somehow with Justin Bieber? Again...it's all the same nightmare."

It amused Beca that Jesse disliked such a poppy song. That was more of her thing, hating all that's popular. "If you had to choose?"

Jesse relented a bit but it was painful. "Bieber is bad, but in relation to _Call Me Maybe_, it's Beethoven's Fifth..."

As they walked closer to the Garage, Benji sung gingerly, "_Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe..._"

Jesse shivered at the sound of it, and when Beca joined in, more to annoy her boyfriend, to which he glared playfully at her. She wondered how she could sneak that into a mix somewhere, just for Benji. It would be fun to watch Jesse cringe every time Benji played it.

* * *

"And then there was fire."

Jesse bragged to Beca he made killer grilled cheese sandwiches, but she's not so sure. So after class, she headed to his place. He stood for a minute, looking over at the counter. "Where'd I put my pan?"

"Should I put the fire department on speed dial?" Beca held up her cell phone.

"I got this. Bread...right? Cheese. Butter?" he ticked off the ingredients as he pulled them out of the refrigerator. "Okay, got it. And now...I create magic."

As Jesse began to cook, Beca lifted herself onto the counter and watched him pretend cooking grilled cheese was the equivalent of cooking a complicated dish. He just wanted to cheer her up, she'd been a little bitchy to everyone since the Regionals were looming over them. Not to mention, she walked in her room one evening to find Bumper and Amy making out. It's just all too gross. She encounters Bumper less in the Treble house than in her own room.

The Regionals were in two days and Beca's not sure why she's freaking, she wasn't nearly as nervous last year. Maybe it's because the Bellas have a championship to maintain, maybe it's because she wanted to have the same high she gets when people heard her music.

"So, Regionals...coming up. You ready to relinquish your title?"

Beca sneered at her spatula holding boyfriend. "Um...yeah, that...I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, alright...well, let's just stand here in silence and stare into each other's eyes," he gestured with the spatula, and widened his eyes while staring at her.

"You're so weird."

He ogled at her even harder as she made a face at the awkwardness of it all.

"If I talk about it, will you stop doing whatever it is you are doing with your eye thing?"

Jesse silently bobbed his head in agreement, but didn't relent with the creepy stare-off, though, she mentally noted he was artfully skillful at flipping over the grilled cheese without looking at it.

"Fine. God, I hate you. I'm nervous about the Regionals."

Beca watched him sigh at her confession. He didn't get her negative outlook. Beca's aware that Jesse thinks she can accomplish anything. It's a thoughtful compliment, but she wasn't so sure of herself.

"Why? Beca, you've got this."

Her shoulders dropped and she found the ugly pattern of the outdated kitchen tile interesting all of a sudden. "You can't say that. There's so much talent out there. I mean, you're also amazing..."

"Awwww!" Jesse replied, lighting up but she can't let the compliment go to his head. It's just too easy.

"Well...sometimes you're amazing. Not often," she smirked as he deflated at her half compliment, "_...and_ who knows what secret weapons other groups have. What happened last year, was awesome, but it's hard to replicate. I mean, I'm so stressed about all this because I have to make sure we stay on top."

Jesse put down his spatula, then stood in front of her. He grabbed her hands, stroking her wrists gently with his thumbs. "Bec, I'm going to tell you something my overbearing but loving mother told me. ..'_With great power, comes great responsibility'_."

"Your mother did not say that," Beca deadpanned and Jesse attempted to be shocked.

"Did too."

"Um...nope. I'm pretty sure that is from _Spiderman_."

She knows she just impressed him by remembering that line, but Jesse feigned confusion, asking, "Are you sure?"

Beca knew her boyfriend was mocking her. He hates when she gets this way, and she hates it too, she just can't help it. "You forced me to watch that stupid movie last week. You said I would appreciate Tobey Maquire's junk in spandex."

Jesse shrugged. "Okay, so maybe my mom did steal that from _Spiderman_, but the message is clear. Of course being a winner makes it even more difficult, but you guys made history. No one can ever take that from you. What you did was amazing, and you will top that this year. I mean, you can get on stage and sing _Call Me Maybe...you_ know how much I hate that song...and you'd still win."

"You and that song again," She snorted, as he stepped closer to land a kiss on her lips.

Jesse pulled back and looked at her, his eyes are so full of expression and appreciation of her, she sometimes feels selfish that she needs to see that look. He always looks at Beca like she's the best thing ever. It's a nice boost of self esteem.

"Ugh. Again. Get a room!" Brendan grumbled at the snuggling couple as he and Kolio walked in and grabbed a soda out of the fridge. Kolio made vomiting sounds and then they walked out.

A year ago, she would have jumped out of his arms if someone walked in on them. Now, she was perfectly fine with him invading her space, because if she believed in that aura garbage, she would say Jesse's aura was warm and positive. She wondered to herself why he's always so happy.

_Meds? He was hugged too much?_ She's not sure, but she appreciated whatever made Jesse the way he was.

Beca leaned in and whispered seductively in his ear, "You're burning my grilled cheese."

The smell of burning cheese hit Jesse and he jumped, causing Beca to jump off the counter and smugly watch him try to rescue the sandwiches. "Shit!"

Beca watched him plate their burnt sandwiches. Jesse knew her now, biblically one might say, and he knew that for such a definite smart ass, she had insecurities she needs to work through. Beca willingly admits she's a work in progress.

Jesse handed her a plate of blackened bread, and Beca decided that he tried to cook for her, so she has no choice but to eat it. She playfully whines, "But seriously, back to_ Spiderman_'s junk...I was very disappointed."

They moved to his room so they can hang out. She asked if Benji was in, and he noted that Benji likes to meditate right before a big performance. She liked Benji and didn't want to overwhelm him with her presence, but Jesse told her Benji actually likes her around. She's been studying as hard as she could to make up her grades, and practicing so much, she valued her time with Jesse, even when he burns her dinner or they get in arguments about the value of a spork (_which, a spork is useless, in her opinion_).

As Beca sat on his bed, Jesse stood in front of his DVD collection. "So, since the size of a superhero's package ropes your interest, maybe I can convince you that _Superman Returns_ features Superman's crotch pretty well? Wanna watch?"

"How come you are so calm about the Regionals? Don't you ever get nervous?"

He grabbed _Superman Returns_ and placed it in the BluRay player. "I used to...before the accident."

His dramatic phrasing caused Beca to throw him her "_I'm fucking serious_" eyebrow lift.

"Okay, of course I get nervous," Jesse sat next to her and took a bite of his burnt sandwich. He talked with his mouth full, "I just, I don't know...love the performing part. I don't think about winning."

"Ever?"

"Never." He chewed his sandwich timidly to assess if it was still edible and then shrugged, taking another huge bite.

Beca considered this, and took a bite out of her sandwich. He had a point. She loves music and she watching seeing people react to her music. Back home, she loved the high she got from DJ'ing a party. The ICCA trophy was just a bonus, another high. She took another bite of her sandwich and decided it wasn't edible. She put her plate on his nightstand.

"You're not hungry?"

"It's burnt...no, I'm not hungry."

He shrugged and finished his sandwich. Beca watched him with amusement. He really did see the good in everything, even burnt sandwiches.

"You gonna eat that?" he asked, pointing to her discarded sandwich.

"Go for it," she handed it to him and grabbed the remote, pointing it to the television. She doesn't want to think about the Regionals. She wants to see Superman in his unitard. "Okay, come on Superman. Let's see what you've got going for you."

* * *

_Okay._

_Breathe._

_Breathe._

_Jesus..._

_B...r...e...a...t...h...e._

Beca pulled the pitch pipe from her pocket, and blew, her eyes focused on the back of Amy's head, then Stacie's, then Ashley's. She counted, and the sound of their beautiful background harmony hit her. Her aca-bitches kick so much ass.

Marty took a breath before her voice flowed like butter through the microphone. "_I had a way then losing it all on my ownnnn...I had a heart then but the queen has been overthrown...And I'm not sleeping now, the dark is too hard to beat...And I'm not keeping now, the strength I need to push me..._"

There it was, the moment Marty started singing. She knew there was a reason to keep her around regardless of her crush on Jesse, or regardless of how much she chaffed Beca's ass with her inability to grasp a simple two step choreographed sequence. But now, Marty carried this tune so well, Beca felt it all the way to her feet, as she backed her up during the chorus. Lily was doing an amazing job at with the bass.

_Lights_ by Ellie Goulding, hit the rafters of the Carolina Performing Arts Center, and Beca felt out of body. Just like last year, when they won, Beca let go of all the tension and floated. The crowd loved it, and she strained past the lights to see if she could see Jesse, but she couldn't. Plus, the song was shifting and she had to stay on beat. The crowd got louder when they switched again. She loved this arrangement, a mashup of _Lights, All of the Lights by Kanye West_, and_ Ke$ha's We R Who We R_. Everyone was on point.

_God, she lived for this_. It was just as much of a high as spinning. It was almost as good as sex. _Almost_...she'd test that out later, but she doubted it would be on that same level. She loved music, it did something to her, touched her deeply, she always thought nothing else could do it for it...until she met Jesse.

He was definitely keeping her on her toes. Before the Bella's performed, they watched Benji and Jesse serenade the crowd with Justin Bieber's _As Long As You Love Me_. Jesse had this uncanny ability to find her no matter where she was in the arena, and lock eyes with her.

So when he sang "_...just take my hand...as long as you love me, we can be starving, we can be broke..._" directly to her, she felt a shock of energy go through her.

_Fat Amy even said, "I think I just 'gasmed...did anyone else?"_

_Marty responded, "I think we all did."_

_Lily, of course, was different. "Makes me want to twist my nipples off 'til I pass out."_

_Beca chose to ignore that. It was the first time in history a Justin Bieber song got her wet_. _Congrats, Jesse Swanson. Bravo..._

So now that it's her turn on stage, Beca could feel the adrenaline rush through her body. She turned and hit her mark perfectly to the resounding applause of the crowd. She breathed heavily, her eyes scanning for the Trebles in the back of the auditorium. Bumper looked annoyed, Brendan was bobbing his head, Unicycle had a respecting smirk on his face. Beca's eyes finally landed on her target. He was in the back, clapping, smiling at her, celebrating her kicking his ass. They Bellas won. No way they lost this one. _No way._ And even though he might of just been demoted to second place, he was there, clapping for her, knowing she would win. _As long as he loved her,_ she thought, before shaking her head. _Fucking Justin Bieber..._

* * *

When the Regionals host announced they won, the faces of all her friends lit up the room. Amy almost did the worm in the aisle, Stacie and Ashley were bouncing up and down to the enjoyment of those able to see their cleavage. Cynthia Rose gave Beca a fist pound before they all walked to the front to receive their trophy. And though Jesse won second place, he smiled bright as if he won that night as well.

She sauntered up to him, holding the Bellas' trophy.

""That's a nice... candelabra?" he bounced on his heels.

"Nope. Try again."

"A really fancy clothes rack?"

"Not even," she shook her head and poked his chest with the trophy. "One more try, if you get it right, I'll let you hold it."

Jesse puffed out his cheeks before replying, "A can opener?"

Beca stepped closer, smelling his cologne. Something about him performing makes him irresistible to her. "You do a mean Justin Bieber."

"I resent that," Jesse blushed, turning his head and before returning a smug grin at her.

Beca glided her finger down the zipper of his hoodie,"What would you do..._if I was your girlfriend?"_

Her sing-songing the last part charmed him, as he sighed, "I hate you."

"Beca!" Amy yelled from the corner across the crowd. "You coming with us or you tappin' that?"

Jesse simpered as Beca dropped the pretense of playful seduction. Leave it to Amy to embarrass her. "Um...okay, I should go, before she yells something else offensive."

"Go with your girls. I'll see you later."

She turned to go back to her Bellas when Jesse reached out and touched her arm. She turned and looked at him, the soft but adoring look on his face as he said, "Hey Beca, You made me proud tonight. You know..._if I was your boyfriend, I'd never let you go. Keep you on my arm girl, you'd never be alone. I can be a gentleman, anything you want. If I was your boyfriend, I'd never let you go, I'd never let you goooo..."_

He sung the the lyrics with such bravado, the crowd gathered in the hall turned and cheered. Beca could do nothing but stare at him, mouth agape. _Touché_. His revenge was sweet. Jesse winked as he walked backwards, and then turned to go find the Trebles, leaving Beca reduced to a puddle on the floor.

* * *

"Beca we are so proud of you," Aubrey stated and it was genuine. Beca beamed as her two former Bellas praised her regional performance. It was up on Youtube within hours.

"Tots, Beca," Chloe replied in her Skype box. "Because seriously, after Jesse and Benji practically got everyone pregnant in the audience..."

"It wasn't that good," Aubrey said, blushing. They had to admit, that shit was hot. And had Beca known what her boyfriend could do to that song, she'd have him sing it every morning. Aubrey didn't want to admit it. "It was okay. When Unicycle did that hip thrust... I mean, if you like that sort of grotesque gyrating on stage. Which I do not."

Chloe and Beca just nodded at Aubrey's blatant desire for Unicycle. She still carried that torch.

Aubrey composed herself. "Ahem...Anyway, enough about those dickweasles. Marty...wow. Her voice. How'd you get that out of her?"

"I pulled out the Aubrey Posen Aca-Rule Book," Beca replied as Aubrey flashed a knowing smile, "And then I burned it."

Beca smirked as Aubrey frowned, but the blonde shook her head in understanding. She's come a long way since her neurotic days as the Bella captain. "Good. Because whatever you are doing, it's working. How does it feel?"

"Winning?" Beca tapped her chin. "Like last time. We're all getting used to it."

Chloe suddenly starting clapping. "Ellie Goulding, I so wanted to sing her."

"You still can. Let's do it," Beca watched both women look reserved. Beca rolled her eyes. "Really? Or maybe you lost the ability do a cappella. It happens."

She knew the pair could be goaded. They were still reluctant, so Beca started the beat. She watched Chloe close her eyes and move her shoulders, while Aubrey tried to remain composed. Suddenly, Chloe started singing the first few lines. And she was right, Ellie Goulding sounded great via Chloe. Aubrey tried ignore them, she was a Bella at heart. She joined in and Beca joyfully beat boxed. She missed these girls.

At the end, Aubrey blushed and clapped her hand over her mouth.

Chloe looked concerned. "What's wrong, Aubrey?"

"I'm in lab and people are glaring at me," she whispered and Beca and Chloe were both shocked Aubrey broke a rule just to have fun for even a moment. But it was worth it.

Beca looked at her clock. She had to get back to studying. "Okay ladies, I have to go. I'll be in touch before Semifinals."

"Beca," Aubrey said before she could close out, "Really. So proud of you."

"Thank you," Beca couldn't control how great she felt. Her eyes sparkled as she closed out Skype.

Her phone buzzed- _Miss you. Wanna watch a movie?_

She couldn't, even though she desperately wanted to. She texted back- _Can't. Paper. Call u lata._

She disdainfully looked back at the blinker on her open Word document, and tried to compose herself so she can focus on studying, and not Jesse's face when she distracts him from a movie by climbing on his lap, or trying to perfect the playlist for Semifinals.

_**Songs used:**_

_**Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen**_

_**Lights by Ellie Goulding ( a great a cappella arrangement)**_

_**All of the Lights by Kanye West**_

_**We R Who We R by Ke$ha**_

_**As Long As You Love Me by Justin Bieber**_

_**If I was Your Boyfriend by Justin Bieber**_


	9. Chapter 9

"Cheeseburgers, bitches!"

Fat Amy placed a tray full of cheeseburgers and fries in the center of the table, the girls not hesitating to dive in. Beca decided it would be a good idea to meet outside of their usual practice place, sort of a treat for the Regionals win and a bonding experience. Beca hung out with the girls individually, but not as a huge group outside of practice. Lately, her only time with them had been Bella practices and when Fat Amy dragged her to a stupid party.

But watching everyone grab their grub, made her feel relieved that one part of their journey to the Finals was over. She had already worked so hard on their second set, she felt it was just time to sit back and enjoy their first win.

As Beca sipped her Coke, Stacie tossed her burger in disgust. "Um... Amy...hello? This is a cheeseburger."

Amy was already digging in her meal when she looked up confused, "Um, yeah...hence why they call it a '_cheeseburger'_."

"Well, I can't eat it. I told you guys I was going semi vegan. So...no cheese."

"I have no clue what you're saying right now."

"I read it in _People Magazine,_ Natalie Portman and that chick from Glee totally goes semi vegan...you know, to keep it tight. You give up one thing a week, until you're totally vegan. For like six months. Then you can go back to eating meat."

Beca had to jump in at this point because Stacie could come up with the most outrageous things because of E! Network or one of her many celebrity news subscriptions. "Are you sure it works that way?"

Fat Amy could not comprehend what Stacie was implying. The blonde pointed her burger at Stacie menacingly, as she replied, "That's probably the stupidest thing I have ever...ever heard."

"Is not. It totally works. You'll see. Watch."

"No, it won't. In Tasmania, you don't eat meat, you're basically begging to get punched in the face. It's in the Constitution. You will eat meat or you're disrespecting a whole nation."

"So, does that mean you don't want your cheeseburger?" Marty asked, because- _hell,what a waste of food_.

"I like cheeseburgers. Sometimes, at night, I like to put my hands in raw meat and rub it on my body," Lily said, but only Beca heard her, and it causes Beca to inhale her soda and choke.

She only lived thanks to Cynthia Rose patting her on the back.

Recovering and now the center of undue attention, Beca tried to go into her speech, but it was hard considering what she just heard from Lily. It took a minute for the mind to process and repress such things.

"Thanks, I'm just...wow...anyway...guys, I just want to say thank you for all your hard work," she says hoarsely. They all looked at her, and Beca felt humbled to be their captain. "I mean, everything was beyond awesome. Marty, you kicked that song's ass. The beat boxing was perfect, the pitch. I don't think we could have done it better. And because of you guys, we're one step closer to winning this whole thing."

"You mean...again!" Fat Amy snickered.

The girls cheered and Cynthia Rose lifted her styrofoam cup to start a toast. This is what it was about, these friendships. They were more than a team, they were a functioning unit as far as Beca was concerned. They were the sum of all of these amazing parts.

She was happy to have these friends, it was something she didn't have before Barden, and she had no one but herself to blame for that. Being a loner was like a badge of honor once for Beca; she looked back and admits she couldn't have cared less if no one ever engaged her in conversation. She had all she needed, a bad ass pair of headphones and her beats and the rest of the world could go fuck themselves. It's funny how all it took was her father forcing an education on her, for her to open up and let all sorts of people in. Normally, she'd drown them out, cutting her eyes at their foolishness as she slipped her headphones on her head. But now, she enjoys listening to them bicker about cheeseburgers, vegans, and..._penises_?

_How did the conversation shift to that?!_

"It was what?" she's not sure why she asked, but Beca's a bit confused and clarity is needed.

Stacie sighed, "Crooked. I mean, I've seen alot of dicks-"

"We know," Fat Amy muttered, but Stacie didn't flinch.

"-But this one was like, bent like at a ninety degree angle."

"Ew!" Jessica yelped. "Was it broken?"

Stacie shook her head and ate one of the fries. "Um, no...but it was dark in the back of the van though."

"You had sex in a creepy dark van?" Marty was astounded. The original Bellas didn't flinch. They were used to Stacie's exploits.

"God no. It was a Geico Insurance van. Totally legit. It's his work van...well his cousin's work van, but he applied to there too like six times, so they are bound to call him back. Anyway, so he unzips his pants and takes out his crooked dick, and I'm like '_What the hell?_' and he's all like '_Yeah_'... but you know, I could work with it. I'm flexible."

"This is an over share," Cynthia Rose quipped and Beca had to agree.

"I'm just saying, I've never seen anything like it. He's like a side show sex freak."

Reagan raised her hand. "I gave Brendan a hand job after the Regionals. His dick has an anger vein. It's scary as shit."

Fat Amy, of course felt the need to join in. "Yeah, Bumper's penis looks like a frightened turtle. I have to coax it out of it's shell sometimes."

Beca choked for a second time. "I didn't need to know that. None of us needed to know that!"

"Well, Beca," Fat Amy challenged. "It's not like all of us have a perfect boyfriend with a perfect body, with a perfect singing voice, with a perfect sausage."

Beca frowned. _She was not going there_. Jesse was not some piece of boy ass she would willingly share details about with her friends. Their sex life was theirs and hers was hers, and while she can appreciate a candid story from Stacie or an embellished one from Fat Amy, she would not tell them a damn thing about Jesse. He was hers and hers alone. No one at this table needed to know how she felt when Jesse slowly climbed on top of her and her back hits the bed, the sweet pressure of his hips, how he was ticklish right in the crook of his knee, or how he goes a little nuts when she drags her teeth over his earlobe. _Nope, they didn't need to know that_. It was the something she kept close to her, because their physical relationship was very much connected to an emotional one, and if anything, Beca was a kick ass gatekeeper of her emotions.

She simply sipped her soda as the girls made cat calls. "Can we talk about something else please?"

"No," Everyone at the table said in unison. Cynthia Rose was the only one bored so she was playing spades on her phone.

"I'm not doing public relations on behalf of Jesse's dick," Beca said plainly, throwing on her bitch face for emphasis.

"Okay. Fine. Be that way. He's too cookie cutter for me anyway with his nice abs, and nice arms. I like 'em like Bumper. Chubby and unsure of themselves until you get some lube."

"What does that even mean?" Beca's so confused on why this topic won't die.

Stacie spoke up. "I mean, you guys have been dating for awhile, maybe it's cooled off a bit."

"So...yeah that's totally none of your business," she winked sarcastically, cutting her eyes over to a amused Marty. _Too fucking amused_, if you asked Beca.

"Yeah Stacie. They are in love. You'd think with the bad ass ear spike, she'd be into some crazy shit, but it's like watching a Disney movie with them. I got a mega box of condoms from Costco and everything, but it seems only Bumper and I use them. Every time I catch Beca and Jesse, they're like, in cuddle mode," Amy's response caused Beca to throw her cheeseburger wrapper at her.

She would have thrown one at Stacie too when she said, "Oh, that's bad. Nothing worse than two people sitting there, just cuddling. Like with clothes on and everything."

"That's not true!" Jessica spoke up. "My boyfriend and I cuddle all the time, and we have a great relationship."

"You're also a giant virgin. Both holes," Stacie shrugged and Jessica looked shell shocked. "It's different when you've driven stick shift, trust me."

"I'm really uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation right now," Ashley replied, but she was ignored.

Beca knew what Fat Amy was doing was just friendly goading, but she's not the type to share such things. "Nothing's wrong with cuddling. And sorry Amy you haven't walked in on me riding Jesse. I'll make every effort to change that."

"So do you think the spark is gone? I mean, I never date a guy more than six months. Keeps it spicy," Stacie replied.

Beca swallowed her desire to slut shame Stacie because they were friends now, but this line of questioning was really pissing her off. "Can we get off of this?"

"That's why I keep a harem. You get bored with one, you can just get another. Once they start writing me poetry and stop rubbing my tits, I think it's time to bench them," Fat Amy said and the rest of the girls chuckled, but Beca couldn't even muster a smile.

Instead, Beca rolled her eyes because she was kind of irritated with the premise of this whole conversation. Sure, she didn't climb on Jesse as much as she did the first two months of their relationship, but they were serious now. They had sex plenty, just not every waking second. She wasn't boring. There were plenty of nights she slept over in his room and vice versa, and they didn't even have sex, but that's the evolution of intimacy, right?

As the girls went on to the next inappropriate topic, Beca felt a bit exposed and lost. She didn't want to doubt her relationship in any way. And while the girls were probably just joking with her, they made a small crack in the foundation because all she could think about was..._what happens if and when the spark goes away_? Will she lose this incredible guy who is the best friend she's ever had? Will it be her fault if she doesn't keep it interesting for him (_because he is a teenaged boy with a dick)?_

* * *

She's over analyzing their relationship now, and she hates herself for it. She watches everything he does, ponders over every word, and it's fucking killing her because she's not even sure why she's doing it. He's caught her looking at him with this concentrated look sometimes, and he just whistles and shakes his head. He thinks she's weird. _Is she looking for a sign of him being uninterested? A problem in their relationship? Why is she seeking out problems? What was wrong with her?_

One thing Jesse would do, is tell her if something was wrong, because he never ceases to stop talking. She's not sure why she's so hyper vigilant about her relationship, due to a stupid conversation with the Bellas. Jesse's not pushing her away, but her neurotic behavior might make him run for the hills. This whole thing has been a learning experience for Beca. He's still affectionate, so that's something. He wraps his arms around her without prompting, or in merriment of her physical reaction of hating to be touched without permission, despite the fact she ends up melting into it. He's what she needs and right now, she needs to stop over thinking.

"Where are we going?"

"Shhhh. You'll ruin the mystery."

She's sitting in the passenger seat of his car, watching the streets change. He refuses to tell her where they are going. _  
_

"You really know how to woo a girl. Take her to a mysterious location. Where no one can hear her scream."

"I want to surprise you. Be spontaneous," he says, only looking over for a second. She jerks her head, wondering if he knew about the conversation she had with the Bellas and if that's why he's doing this. Of course not, Amy would never tell him.

They are quiet for a moment before he starts speaking again. "So I wanted to surprise you. You're working so hard to get your grades up, and to help the Bellas win, and I know you're really sorry you quit your career stacking CDs with me-"

"Devastated."

"I figured. So, I thought, what could I do to take Beca's mind off of all these things? What can we do for fun?"

"Hm..."

"And then I remembered, _Beca hates fun_. So there was that obstacle."

She nods in agreement.

"What about Naked Uno?"

"That's not a real game," she says smugly and he just laughs.

"Yes, it is. You've never played Naked Uno? You've lived a sheltered life."

"You haven't either, I can guarantee that," she deadpans, looking out of the window.

"Okay, no, but it could be fun! Right?" His girlfriend looks back at him, unamused. "Anyway, so then I thought about volunteering at a pet shelter but you hate cats."

"Because they are evil," He has this way of making her smile. _It's witchcraft_. She appreciates this, a lot.

"Yep. And then I thought maybe she'd like it if we threw rocks at passing cars, but I don't want to go to prison. I'm way too pretty."

"Someone's full of himself."

"So...I decided we'd do this..." he pulls into a parking lot and Beca looks out of the windshield to see GROVER'S BOWLING LANES.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, no one hates bowling."

"You sure?"

Before she could get an answer, Jesse hops out of the car and they walk into the nearly empty bowling alley. It is mid day, so Beca's surprised to see one lane occupied by a small boy and the another two by leagues of older bowlers. She ignores the smell of musk and beer as Jesse pays for shoes (_he even got hers without asking her size)_, and they walked over to a lane.

As she put on her shoes, she smiles to herself. She doesn't care what anyone else has to say, she has an awesome boyfriend who loves her. He thinks of fucking awesome stuff like this for them, and if he was getting bored, or their relationship was in danger, he'd be trying to stay away from her, not spend more time with her.

"So, warning...I come from a long line of professional bowlers," he brags as he chucks his ball right into the gutter.

"I see. The force is with you."

"HA!" Jesse points at her, her movication has been working in overdrive lately. "AHA! Star Wars reference. I'm winning somewhere. Your turn."

She walks up to the line and he whistles at her, causing her to glare playfully over her shoulder. She rolls the ball and it goes into the gutter as well. Beca does what she does best in situations like this...she shrugs.

"Well then...at least our aca-babies will have the gift of voice," he teases and she elbows him as he takes his turn.

Another two gutter balls, and both of them are wondering if this whole thing was rigged. The small boy turns out to be the child of bowling alley owner, and he's striking it up in his lane, causing Jesse to grumble, "Shouldn't he be in school?"

They pause the game to go eat a slice of grease that posed for pizza. Jesse devours his first slice, and Beca tries not to seem so obviously distracted. "Are you...happy?"

She's not sure why the fuck she let that come out of her mouth. She's equally as surprised as him as it slips from her lips.

Jesse's not sure what she's talking about though. "I'll regret this later, I'm sure, but for now...so delicious."

"I mean, happy with us. Not...not the pizza. With...our sex life?"

He stops chewing, his mouth full."Whoa. Um...this is different."

"Yeah, I don't...god, this is so weird talking about this...ignore me," Beca waves it off but of course Jesse's not going to let this go.

"Well now I'm curious!"

She hates this, even though she's gotten better at opening up to him, it's still difficult. Who talks about things like this? They aren't married, they are dating, but it's just sitting there, playing with her mind. "I can't believe I'm telling you this. The Bellas were talking...and somehow they brought up our relationship and they said we've probably hit the point where we're bored with each other."

"I just want to be clear. The Bellas were discussing how we...? Cause, right now, I'm sort of freaked out."

"Well yes and no. We were talking about penises and then it got out of hand..."

"Before or after you started discussing dicks?"

"After..."

He bites his lip and nods. "This was not a medical discussion. Right?"

"No."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that. And boring? Look at us, we're bowling. Does this look boring to you?" Jesse bristles indignantly and turns to indicate the nearly empty bowling hall. Then he looks at her. "What do you think?"

"I think..." she looks down her half eaten pizza. "I know...we're good."

He looks like he doesn't believe her and seems a little hurt but he recovers it quickly. "Then we're good."

They finally start hitting some pins and it's getting to be a lot more fun. Jesse is giving her moments like this to file away to replace her sarcasm, her bitterness, her distrust, and suddenly she stops caring about what her friends are saying because she's in this relationship real time and she loves it. He makes her feel special and their relationship is more than a drunken frat booty call in the middle of the night. She'd much rather spend time laughing with him than fucking his brains out..._wait, did she mean that? Yes, yes she did._

* * *

She's not sure what the fuck she was thinking doing this. _Oh god_, a slight panic attack is hovering over her like a dark cloud but she moved forward regardless. She marched across campus towards the Treble house, muttering curses at how stupid this whole idea was. He's going to laugh at her, and god forbid someone else walk in and laugh at her too. She'll have to go on a punching spree and for what? This was all to prove that she could be some sort of wanton seductress? She paused, thinking of turning right back to her room and tossing on some sweatpants, but she reluctantly followed her original plan through.

She snuck in, and saw Brendan and some other guys sitting in the living room area, arguing over which cartoon is best, Adventure Time or Aqua Team Hunger Force. _Idiots...all of them_. But she doesn't let that deter her from her goal. She knew he'd be there, in the practice room, standing by the piano. Mostly because a minute ago she texted him and he texted back, _Practicing w/ Piano. I am Awesome_.

He had English Comp in like thirty minutes, so she better make this quick.

"Hey, what are you-?" he looked happy to see her, but she wasn't here to talk. She's not going to playfully tease him. She's not going to talk about her feelings.

_Enough with the talking_. She instantly cut him off when she dove in and kissed him. And it wasn't one of their "_goodbye, I'm off to class_" kisses, she had him pushed up against the piano, her lips hungry, her tongue probing. _I'm possessed_, she thought, she's kissed him like this once before, but not with this intention. Even after the ICCAs, when she kissed him in front of hundreds of people, that was a different sort of heat. This? Was animalistic and she's not sure where inside of herself she dug that up from, but there it was and when Jesse moaned into her mouth, that just threw gasoline on it. She doesn't even have time to really register what's happening before her instincts kick in and she wrapped her arms around his neck, fisting his plaid shirt in her hand. He turned them around so that she was against the piano now. His hands stretched around her waist and he lifted her a bit, and her legs wrapped around him, using the piano on her back as leverage.

_Well, shit._

He's not talking anymore; he's not even sure why she's there, and honestly, right now, he probably didn't really care, she could stay for as long as she wanted. She's unpredictable, she's a bundle of fucking mystery and fuck yeah, she's climbing her boyfriend unabashedly in the middle of the got damn day. There was heavy breathing and everything, and he moved from her mouth to her neck, possibly needing air. His hands are kneading her breasts and her arms have moved to pull his shirt up a little so she can feel skin.

"Beca...what-?" _Oh god, stop talking._

She knew her actions were a little startling. She fisted his hair and drew him back to her mouth, grinding her hips forward to a particular area that's definitely responding. Why did she wear panties? Hell, why did she even wear pants?! She felt him move his hands back up to her face, then torturously down her neck and straight to her mid section that was slightly exposed. They were really close to fucking on the piano when they heard someone clear their throat. At that point, Jesse pulled back, his eyes lustfully heavy as he scanned her face. All she felt was heat, and she's a little miffed they were interrupted. Jesse just looked shellshocked, and for whatever reason, she found that sexy as fuck.

He composed himself, and lowered her to the ground, morphing back into the modest Jesse she knew. Beca looked to see Bumper standing there. She tried to gather herself and find her center of gravity, since she rolled in and literally sucked all the sense out of Jesse's face.

"Alright. Whatever. Just know...now, we're going to have to sterilize that thing. Clean up when you're done. Animals," Bumper muttered and then took a sip from his fast food cup. "And cut off the lights. First Brendan and his damned hand job now this..."

Bumper left, leaving both a breathless Beca and Jesse standing there awkwardly. Beca's hand flew to her swollen lips and she bashfully looked up at Jesse.

"Uh so..." she couldn't form words right now, so that was all she could think to say.

"I...gotta go to English?" He posed that as a question, and looked equally bashful all of a sudden. He's so adorable when he's flustered.

"Yeah. Shouldn't miss that."

"Dinner later?"

"Yeah." _What just happened?_

He looked roughed up, his lips pink and thoroughly kissed, his hair mused from her hands, his shirt crumpled, and he was probably wondering how she mustered the courage to come in and practically dry hump him against the practice piano.

As Jesse checked his rumpled shirt, Beca pulled something out of her pocket.

"I'm going to go...so bye," she handed him the box and pecked him on the lips before scurrying out of the room, leaving him in a haze of lust and confusion. She didn't even hear him squeak out a goodbye to her.

She marched towards the door, the argument of Cartoon Network still continuing. Bumper was propped up next to the bar, shaking his head at her for what he just witnessed. Beca simply nodded and walked out the door. _What_ was that? _Who_ was that? That was all her. _Boring, her ass_. She let a devious smile stretch across her face.

Inside, Jesse looked down at the box Beca just handed him and let a surprised chuckle. It was a box of Uno cards with the word _**Naked**_ scrolled across it in marker, and a sticky note that said "J_ust a friendly game or two._"

**~*~*~WARNING: A problem is coming up for our couple. I know I know, but if I'm going to keep them together until the end of time, they have to experience problems at some point...right? Don't be mad at me! I'm sorry in advance. Again, the reviews only make me want to write more! Thank you so much!**


	10. Chapter 10

Beca's not even sure why she accepted the invite. She'd rather someone rip out her eyelashes one by one with pliers, than go anywhere where college students assemble. Jesse wanted her to come out with the Trebles, and he promised several impossible things she planned on holding him accountable for later.

_"Oh yeah? Sit in a shady pool hall with a group of herpes outbreaks who like to sing...," she didn't make plans to go anywhere. _

_She had too much to do to go out with the Trebles. And yeah...go out with Jesse, Benji, and their merry band of jerky man-boys? No thank you._

_"And me!"_

_"And you...or stay here in this comfy clean place, in my super awesome yoga pants, and make music? What will I ever decide?" _

_But Jesse's persistent, as usual. "Okay, just...come with me. I'll have more fun if you're there, mocking me. You don't even have to talk to anyone, make eye contact or anything. In fact, if you just want wear your yoga pants, I can fully appreciate your ass in those. Just come!"_

_"Your desperation intrigues me..." she folded her arms as he tried to woo her with his big puppy eyes and the feel of him rubbing her upper arms. It's not working ... much._

_"You want me to beg, don't you?"_

_She sighed, because she knew she was going to give in. He wore her down each and every time. Like...he came to Barden to major in it. She put on her best exasperated face as she said, "Do it on your knees...I've always wanted someone to beg me for something. Make it count."_

Oh yeah, she's going to collect, and he's afraid of what awaits him. But it's the price he has to pay for expecting her to neglect her mix time. She's behind already, and Luke's been fussy about her getting them to him on time, since "_she couldn't bother to work there anymore_". On top of that, every week it's like her professors decide to get together and all assign papers at the same time. She's a busy girl, dammit.

But there she was, for moral support, perched on an extremely uncomfortable stool, checking out Jesse's backside as he took his shot. He was having fun, so that's something. They're still not twenty-one yet, so she's just sipping on the Shirley Temple Jesse got her. _Cute joke, really..._

_"That is all they would let me order, I swear!" he winked as Beca cut her eyes to show she's not amused._

She's not bored surprisingly, she has the comical conversations of the Trebles to marvel at. Unicycle was trying his best to look sexy for an older woman at another table, Benji was actually pretty good at pool, and the rest of the guys were just fun idiots. It actually took her mind off the fact her mother has called and texted twice in the last hour.

** _I need to talk to you. ~Mom_**

**_Where are you? ~Mom_**

Her mother barely calls or texts, but she's pretty sure it's not good news for that reason. She's not in the mood to deal with it. She'd much rather watch her boyfriend make subtle sexual innuendos with his pool stick to amuse her.

Everything was going fine since she didn't want to run screaming from the room yet, that was until she saw the Trebles all freeze, their eyes wide. Beca turned to see Fat Amy and Bumper pushing through the college spot towards them. She was told specifically Bumper would not be there. But there he was in all his smugness, with Fat Amy trotting behind him. Beca felt her face fall into "_Defcon: This Fucker..."_ mode and she wasn't even trying to hide it as he rounded the corner and approached their group. Amy walked up, smiling as usual, until she noticed how Beca was frowning.

"Erm...hey there, roomie...fancy seeing you here," she said in a playful voice, rocking back and forth. "What are you sipping on?"

"Whatever it is, it's surely not strong enough," Beca responded, and Fat Amy pushed herself up awkwardly on a stool.

Bumper, of course, had to make a bigger show of things.

"Well...hello, gentlemen. Sorry I'm late, but imagine my surprise when I come out the shower and the whole house is suddenly empty. So...," he took off his jacket and walked over by Jesse and Unicycle, "...I broke into Brendan's room, hacked his computer, stalked his Twitter- since I don't follow him...and found you."

Brendan felt violated, "Dude, you broke into my room?"

"That's a lot of effort," Jesse muttered to a nodding Benji.

"Wait, you're on Twitter?" Unicycle asked Brendan. "I asked and you said you weren't?!"

Brendan looked guilty as Bumper and Unicycle glared him. He dropped his head as if he did something wrong and not the other way around.

Bumper clapped his hands and went off to pick a pool stick. "It's alright, I'm here now, so...let's play..."

The boys looked at each other and shrugged, since it was no point in arguing or trying to explain to Bumper why they didn't invite him. They played like normal people for a few shots before Bumper started accusing Hat of sabotaging him. Jesse had explained Bumper's dislike for the Treble nicknamed Hat, but it only made Bumper seem ultra douchey to Beca. Hat just stood there and took it, which seemed to be how most people dealt with Bumper's outrage, which infuriated her even more.

"Seriously, this shot...if you weren't looking at me in the eyes...I could of...grrrr...I swear to god, it's like you mind fucked me into missing..." now Bumper was loud, causing Benji to walk away from the over head light and cloak himself in darkness, less he'll be next on Bumper's list.

"Bumper..." all the Trebles tried to calm him down.

Beca turned away and looked over to Fat Amy, who somehow had a giant piña colada in front of her. _How the hell_?

"How'd you-?" Beca asked, but nothing else comes out because she's in shock that Amy could get drinks and all she could muster was an extra cherry in her Shirley Temple.

Fat Amy took a satisfying sip and replied, "My boobs. Only ID I ever need. Want one? Because I can totally get Harvey to make you one."

"I'm good. Wait, you know the bartender's name?"

"Well, yeah," Fat Amy scoffed as if Beca should too.

Beca just nodded in confusion. "So...will I need to be your designated walker tonight? Is this like a date?"

"I don't do dates. I think of them more as field trips..." Fat Amy said thoughtfully. "He's not my only field trip tonight, if you know what I mean."

"I just...you two are so..." Beca shrugged, trying to understand her friend's attraction to someone like Bumper.

"At first glance...yeah. I mean, I don't deny most days I want to rip Bumper's head off and play kickball with it, but he does have actual feelings."

"Where?"

"Buried, deep, deep..._deep_ down inside."

"That's pretty deep," Beca offered. She'd believe it when she saw him actually act human.

"Whoa, ears burning. My ears are so burning. You're talking about me? Aren't you? You are, I can tell," Bumper popped out of nowhere, wagging his eyebrows, and Beca successfully resisted the urge to kick him as he pointed at her. "Well, hello, Beca. Beca right? Rebecca? Beckers? I'm not sure which you go by..."

Beca cut her eyes. She knew he knows her name, she's damn sure of it. "Beca. I can understand how difficult it might be for you to get, it's not a normal simple name like John, or Bumper."

"Bumper is a family name," he scowled, trying to take a sip of Amy's drink but she slapped his hand away. "I think it means king...or wolf."

Before Beca could make another snarky comment, Jesse came over, to check on her...or stop her from stabbing Bumper. "How's it going?"

"We're bonding," Bumper replied, causing Beca to grimace.

Jesse bit his lip and looked at his disgruntled girlfriend. "Um okay, that's...scary. You want a refresher on your drink?"

Maybe she'll have what Fat Amy's having. She was about to speak when her phone buzzed. She looked to see it was a missed call from her mother. "I'm going to go take this...outside."

She slipped off her bar stool and walked out to the front of the bar, where the cold air hit her face. She sighed and finally answered the dreaded call. "Mom?"

_"I've been calling you all day!"_

"Calm down, mom. You called twice. I'm like...out with friends."

_"What if it was an emergency? You ignored my calls so you could have fun?"_

"Yeah that's exactly what I did," Beca replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes and moving away from the ruckus by the door. "But look, I'm sorry...I'm here now. You have my attention."

"_I assume your father already told you,_" her mother's voice was clipped and Beca could tell this was not going to go well.

"Told me what? Last I saw him was Sunday at dinner. He didn't mention anything."

"_So, he failed to mention he stopped my alimony?_"

"What?"

"_He cut us off, Beca,_" her mother spat.

She bit down on her lip. Her mother was so overdramatic. "Um, what are you talking about? He did what?"

"_He stopped the alimony._ _Now,_ _I can't pay the bills. We already had to move from New York because of his decisions. This affects you too, ya know. Now he's cut a huge portion from my budget and I can't afford the rent. We're going to have to move out, to somewhere smaller._"

Beca looked up at the night sky and wished on whatever star was up there, that the fallout from her parents' divorce would end soon. "How soon is this going to have to happen?"

"_Very soon, I'm going to start looking tomorrow. I can't believe him. He's such an asshole. Sheila probably put him up to it._"

She touched her forehead and closed her eyes. "I'm...I'm not sure what I'm able to do, mom...I'm like...in school and..."

"_I just want you to know, how he treats us. For her, _" her mother replied, her voice shaking. She hung up the phone without so much as a goodbye.

Beca dropped her phone to her side and looked out at the passing cars on the street in front of her. She hated being stuck in the middle and she worked so hard to get a relationship with her dad, only for this to happen. He's done good by her so far, he's more emotionally better off than her mother, but he's also the one who initiated this whole debacle. Her mother was a bitch, but she was the bitch that took care of her when he didn't. She didn't deserve to get thrown out on the street.

Just then she heard Jesse call out to her, "Hey, Beca? Everything all right?"

_No, everything wasn't al-fucking-right_. She felt like the world was falling in on her young life. Her parents' divorce had done nothing but hurt everyone involved, and she hated having a front row seat to it. She hated how she felt every time it came back up - helpless_, and hopeless_...because this was her family; this broken thing she couldn't fix. And here she was, in Atlanta, in a pool hall, while her mother was trying to figure out where to move their stuff.

"Bec?"

She couldn't turn to look at him, not right now. Jesse didn't know how it felt to have your home shattered, your family ripped apart. His parents loved each other. They loved him. He wouldn't understand how it felt to feel yourself split in two, with neither direction being ideal. She knew he would try to make this better for her, give her an optimistic view. How optimistic can one make "_we have to move, again, because your father cheated on me four years ago and this bitterness just won't die_"? No, she had her own way of dealing with it. This is what she did in situations like this, she protected herself. She can feel her life crumpling, so her only shelter is to build a wall. After all the hard work she put into chipping that wall down, one phone call from her mother suddenly reinforces the damn thing.

Beca shoved her hands in her pockets, her back still to Jesse. "I have to be somewhere."

She could guess he was confused, everything seemed fine inside. Now she's turned emotionally cold, talking about leaving and he's not sure why.

"Did something happen?" she felt him step closer, and for the first time in months, she wished he didn't. Suddenly, like a flood, she steeled herself, even against him. Against the one guy she shouldn't hide from.

"No, I just gotta..." she looked to see a cab parked at the curb. Turning to Jesse, she said with little emotion, "I have to leave."

"Wait, let me get my coat, I'll come with you..." he replied, concern spreading over his face. He was out there without his coat, his hands under his arm pits.

She shook her head. "No, stay...with your friends. I'll call you later."

"Beca, I'm going with you."

"You don't even know where I am going."

"Doesn't matter. Where ever. No way I'm letting you leave alone. Just...let me run inside, get my coat, okay?" He looked at her, his eyes pleading, gesturing with his hands. He wanted to make sure she wouldn't leave. "Okay?"

"Fine," she sighed, watching he give a small smile and turn to get his coat. When he went inside, Beca trotted straight for the cab and jumped in. She gave directions and let the cab head off, knowing very well Jesse would wonder where the fuck she ran off to.

* * *

Her father opened the door, sleep still in his eyes. She didn't give a shit. She stood there, all five feet of badass-ness. "Bec? What's wrong? How'd you get here?"

"Cab. You gonna let your only daughter in?" she said, and he could sense the bitterness in her words. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, another text from Jesse after she ditched him at the pool hall. He's probably worried sick about her, but she couldn't deal with that right now.

He opened the door and she slipped in. She wasn't going farther than the foyer. Her father shut the door. "I love seeing you. I do. But it's like eleven o'clock at night. Did something happen?"

"So when were you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"You cut mom's alimony?"

He looked stunned for a minute. He's used to Beca's abrasiveness, but he didn't think she would march over in the middle of the night to confront him about this. "I didn't think I had to alert you to that. It doesn't concern you."

"Oh it doesn't?"

"No, it's...what is this about?"

"It does concern me when my mom calls me and tells me we have to move because she can't afford where we live anymore."

He looked at his daughter's defensive stature, she's matter-of-factly speaking to him, not even yelling. "Beca-"

"What? Is it not enough you left us in New York? Then we had to move because the house belonged to the college? So I leave my friends, I have to pack my stuff and I have to go to D.C.? And I have to deal with your mess, dad. I have to hear how you don't want us anymore, all the time?"

"I never said that," he responded immediately. "Look, it's more complicated than it sounds."

"I'm sure. Point is, why should you care? You've got this nice house, this nice new wife, in this nice place, at this nice school. Right?"

She crossed her arms, and he shook his head. "Okay, first, Beca...I'm your father. I know I haven't always done right by you, but you still need to respect me. Second, and I can't believe I'm talking to you about this...there is more to the story than just your mother's side. She knew that the alimony was ending, they gave her the end date in court. This isn't a shocker, Bec. I didn't do this to hurt her, and never to hurt you...ever. This was already decided, and she agreed to it."

Beca deflated a little. Her mother was always a dramatic one. Of course she would manipulate that for her own reasons. But Beca knew those reasons. _Betrayal. Relationships break, people leave_. Some people can't handle it when they invest in someone and they leave, like her father left. Beca frowned and rubbed her face in frustration. They stood in awkward silence for a moment, as she gathered her thoughts.

Her father looked at her sympathetically. "I know your mother's upset. I do understand, Beca. But I don't like her doing this, putting you in the middle."

"I'm all she got out of this," Beca muttered and her father frowned at her words.

"Well, then she got the best part," he said, hoping to cheer her up.

"I can't deal," Beca shook her head and walked to the door, peering out of the window. She saw the cab she asked to wait was gone. _Fucker._ "I think my cab left."

"You can stay, I'll take you to campus in the morning," he said, but she doesn't want to look at him. She's not quite done being mad yet. "I'm sorry you're dragged into this."

She felt tired, without having done anything to exert herself. Just emotionally drained. After her father took her to the guest room, Beca removed her hoodie, her phone still inside the pocket, messages unread. She flopped down on the bed and closed her eyes. She just wanted the world to go away for a minute.

* * *

She knew he would be there, it's his nature. She appreciated it, she really did, he cares, and that means something, but she just wanted to be left alone right now. The car ride back to campus was awkward as hell. She's still mad at the whole situation, and she's not sure which parent she wants to be mad at more. Her father tried to create small talk, but after a few grumbles from Beca, he gave up. So when she walked to the front patio of her dorm, seeing Jesse sitting there, she knew he would have questions.

He was blowing his hands to keep them warm, as it was too early for him to enter the girls dorm without being buzzed in. Fat Amy was probably asleep, or somewhere else, so he was stuck outside. Beca cautiously approached him as he saw her and dropped his hands.

"Hey," he said gently, looking at the fact she was still wearing yesterday's clothes.

"Hey," was all the energy she could muster.

"Rough night?"

"Yeah, look...I..."

"What happened? Where'd you go? I was so scared something happened to you."

"I went to my dad's," she said quietly, brushing her foot in front of her. She could tell he wanted to know more about her leaving him last night, and he deserved to know...she just, didn't want to talk about it.

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine."

Jesse stepped back and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pea coat. Her answers were clipped, and she's not trying to look at him directly. He vaguely remembers this Beca, this quiet despondent Beca. _She's_ been gone for awhile, but she's back and he's not sure why. "Okay..."

"I'm just tired," she tried to offer an excuse for her behavior.

Jesse's face told it all. He was watching his girlfriend revert to someone he had a hard time understanding. He loved her, _he loves her_, _god, does he ever_-but when she gets this way, he can't figure out how to break through. And whatever happened last night, caused this. "I get it, I just...wanted to make sure you were okay. Alive, breathing...ya know."

She gave a half smile and walked past him to scan in her card. He watched her for a few moments and she could sense he felt dejected, but something in her stopped her from trying to fix it.

"Okay, I have class...later. You'll call me?" he asked, the breaking in his voice was crushing. She's doing this to him, and he didn't do anything wrong. She wanted to stop herself, but...

"Yeah, I'll call," she concentrating way too much on scanning her card. Suddenly he was beside her, looming over her.

His lips were warm when he pressed them against the coldness of her forehead, and just as suddenly, he pulled back, looking at her resolutely as he said, "I love you."

He doesn't wait for her to say it back, probably didn't expect to hear it right now, before he jogged down the stairs and across the quad. She watched him as he disappeared into the morning crowd. She's a horrible girlfriend. Now, she actually felt worse. None of this was his fault, yet he's just another person in her life she has a hard time navigating to. She does love him. She loves Jesse very much. She has to figure out how to rip that wall down again, _for_ him. She can't...she won't lose him because she can't get her shit together.

**** That wasn't too bad, was it? But beware...I have to throw a fight in there someday...couples do fight so they can have...makeup sex?!**

**I put in the NYC stuff because Beca makes claim she had links in NYC, but I already wrote she lived in D.C. Gotta make it work.**

**Hat exists in canon! He's the guy who...((drum rolls)) wears the baseball cap, even in the hot tub, and it was shown in extended scenes that Bumper really picks on him for some reason. He's the one Bumper threatened to choke out at the student activities fair and in the extras, Bumper wouldn't let him have a burrito. :(**


	11. Chapter 11

**So...I really had this chapter written a week or so ago, but I changed it a billion times. Then I scrapped that one, and went back to the original. Then I got drunk and tried to write some other stuff. After I got sober, I of course had to erase all that nonsense- then was about to post it, when I changed it again. So...in summary, sorry it took so long.**

She was supposed to be focused on a promised mix for Aubrey, after much whining and passive aggressiveness, the blonde finally asked Beca to make her a mix. Of course, she was given a list of possible inclusions, so Beca was doing her best to interweave them.

Behind her, Amy's watching _High School Musical Three_. Beca acts like she's not into it, like she's above watching a Disney musical about high school drama, but she actually appreciates the idea of the movie. Sing and dance your way through your problems. A mediocre choreographed number will make things feel so much better. As much as she wanted to mock the idea, she agreed. Music can help you work through your problems.

Okay, so maybe not _work through_ the issue, but music is her escape from any impending shitty situation she might find herself in. Her giant headphones slip so deliciously over her ears and effectively push out the nagging stresses in her brain, replacing all the jumbled mess with a language she can speak and understand.

Music doesn't disappoint her, not even the latest Taylor Swift catastrophe. It doesn't manipulate her feelings, or pack up and leave her family broken. Music doesn't make her feel like something's wrong with her, like she needs to change herself. No, music doesn't work against her, it _defines_ her. She feels everything and nothing when she hears a beat begin to pulsate in her brain. It's a part of who she is, her mechanics are linked directly to melody, beat, and bass, and she totally has an evolving soundtrack to her life.

Like the Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, music offered her a way to escape. Take a beat, a sample, hear some vocals, and align it with a pounding bass...and there's the way to escape all the shit of your parents, school, and your jacked up brain. Music is all of that for Beca.

Music makes her feel better. She's aware she'd been in a mood lately..._okay, like, all the time_. She's been dealing with her mother's late night phone calls to bemoan her father's new life, then her father's insistence that Beca needed to detach herself from her mother's unhealthy dependence, and _oh, yeah_...school. Not to mention preparing for the Semi-Finals, but she finds that to be sort of an escape. That's why she loves the Bellas, it's something musical she'd gladly throw herself into. It just so happens she's made some pretty awesome friends there as well.

She's a fortified trap of feelings. Chloe can't even get her to talk about what's going on with her. She swallows her feelings back down; they taste bitter, but it allows her to steel herself and act as if she doesn't give a shit. But she does. She_ really_, _really _does give a shit.

It had been officially ten days since the last time Beca had Jesse's lips or hands on her. She knows because she's counted. Her body is tense in every way possible and she is frustrated sexually, emotionally, and mentally. It kind of pisses her off, because she's not some nympho, but her body still feels it._ How the hell can he have such a hold on her, they've been dating less than a year?_ She hadn't touched him in those torturous ten days, or kissed him, or told him she loved him. She'd done nothing, but sit at her turntables and wallowed over her parents' bullshit. She'd built a wall that effectively kept out the one person she just wanted to hold her right now.

Jesse, to his credit tried- he tried to call her, text her, come by, practically begging for her to talk to him. He left voicemails but she never answers.

"_Uh Beca, I came out the bar and um...you're not here. Where are you? Call me?"_

"_Beca, I'm walking to your dorm. Are you still alive? It'd be nice for you to let me know."_

"_Bec, I'm starting to worry that you have developed some sort of Jason Bourne type amnesia. You probably don't know who the hell Jason Bourne is though. That Matt Damon movie, where you said it was the only time you thought he was hot, remember? Um...Are you mad at me or something? **CRASH!** Benji, dude, are you okay-? -Click-"_

"_Um...**sigh** okay. This is the last message I'm leaving, today at least. Call me, if you want. I'm not sure what's going on anymore."_

The last time he showed up to her room to figure out why she was ignoring him, he looked at her like she'd stabbed him right in the chest. She could only muster up non committal answers and declarations that she was just tired and needed some rest, she'd call him later. Jesse masked it with a nod, and a wave before leaving her to her thoughts. She's aware she messing things up, she's sure of it. He's one of those guys, any girl would be happy to have, and there she was, stewing in her own feelings, and ruining one of the healthiest human relationships she's ever had.

* * *

Amy had put it in simple terms earlier that week. _"Okay, so I'm going to tell you this. Because we're friends. And you need to hear this. Beca...you're kind of being a dick."_

_"Um..." Beca shifted in her chair. "Thanks? I guess?"_

_"Listen, I know you're going through stuff in your personal right now, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn't tell you to get your head out of your ass? Like, it's up there, far. I'm talking, '_get the map Frodo, we're going on an adventure_' far. You're a bigger asshole than Bumper. And you broke up with Jesse? Prime man meat like Jesse shouldn't be abandoned like that. His fucking face, girls like that shit. They'll squat on that in a minute."_

"_We're not…I didn't break up with him. I don't have to be in his face all the time," Beca said defiantly. _

_"See, that's something a dick would say. A dick would say that. Like a big, squirting, purple veined, red eyed-"_

"_I'd like this train of thought to stop. Right there," Beca cringed._

That weird convo was a couple of days ago, yet Beca made no progress in her fixing her relationship with Jesse. Instead of rushing over to him and apologizing, she throws her battered mind into making music.

She's making Aubrey's mix. Because mixing, was just easier. Instead of letting him wrap his arms around her, she decides listening for feedback on Leona Lewis' "_Bleeding Love_" is just _really_ important right now.

_And it was all in vain_

_Time starts to pass_

_Before you know it you're frozen_

_Frozen_. That one word in the lyrics resonates with her. She's not frozen, she's just reserved. Beca knows she can be warm and fun and loving..._or at least she hoped_. She could smile, and laugh. For Christmas, Jesse thought it would be funny to get her a gag gift instead of what she asked for (iTunes gift cards are very practical). When she pulled out the stuffed reindeer singing "Rocking Christmas", she couldn't even hold her glare long enough to be taken seriously. Instead she leaned forward and climbed slowly on top of him because he just wanted to make her laugh. He makes her laugh, from somewhere inside of her that hurts when she laughs too much. So there, she's not frozen, or a robot, she's just hardwired differently.

_Whatever, shut fuck up, Leona Lewis, B_eca thinks bitterly_. _She quickly transitions to her next selection, Kelly Clarkson's "_Darkside"_.

_Even if I try to push you out_

_Will you return?_

_And remind me who I really am_

She hears the words, and now she wants to slap Kelly Clarkson for invading her brain with guilty thoughts.

She did push Jesse out, and now she has to figure out could she even save their relationship at this point. _He's not going anywhere right?_ She remembered his face the day her dad dropped her off. It was painful for him not to get any warmth from her. It's just not fair really, how easy he can toss his feelings and love around, to Beca at least. He tells her he loves her often, in such a soft way that her heart melts. Then she punches him in the arm to break up the seriousness of it, but she knows he definitely loves her. She's just really sort of shitty at reciprocating that.

Beca moves the equalizer to insert bass and tries to find an underlying song to weave. She comes up with an artist she hopes Aubrey approves of; she came across Emeli Sande' _"My Kind of Love"_ this summer. She'd been dying to share it with Chloe and Aubrey. But the song ends up making her feel worse.

_I know I keep my heart protected, _

_far away from my sleeve._

_But don't ever question if my heart beats only for you, _

_it beats only for you._

Beca really does love Jesse. She really wants to be with him, and though neither of them are perfect, she wonders will it always be her inability to open up when she needs to, that will eventually break them? Jesse's definitely not perfect. Oh no, he talks when he should shut up, and he's incredibly goofy but she wants that. He does weird unnecessary things like he hums the theme from Star Wars when he eats, or that time he locked himself in Benji's sword box. She can't lie, it's so damn lovable. But she's the one ignoring how he makes her feel, and instead she's probably making him wonder if she really wants this relationship. Regressing just fucks everything back up.

But seriously, who the hell asked Emeli to give her advice on her love life? Beca sure didn't.

Moving on to the next song, she notes it's her favorite DJ, David Guetta's "_Turn Me On_" with Nicki Minaj. _Finally, not some sad sack love song_. A beat banger; Guetta was such a genius.

_My body needs a hero_

_Come and save me_

_Something tells me you know how to save me_

_I've been feeling weird, oh!_

_Oh, I need you _

_To come and rescue me_

Jesse's always tried to save her. If it wasn't from jail after the Regionals, if it wasn't so Luke could play her music, if it wasn't for him trying to draw a little bit of socializing out of her, Beca knew she wouldn't be where she was. Jesse didn't want to save her because he thought of her as weak, he just wanted her to know someone was there for her. He knew she wanted friends. He knew she wanted her music played. He knew she didn't want to go have to fight off a cellmate named Gertrude. He's worried about her. He thinks she doesn't want him anymore, but he's still reaching out. It's noble, beautiful even, but right now she just...can't.

_Whatever, honestly, Beca didn't even like Nicki Minaj and might she add, David Guetta... __so 2011_. How the hell did mixing some stupid songs for Aubrey get so emotional?

A beyond irritated Beca drops one more song her playlist and pulls up the equalizer. Rihanna and Drake's "Take Care".

_Cause if you let me,_

_Here's what I'll do,_

_I'll take care of you _

At this point, it all becomes too much and she snatches the headphones from her head and toss them in the corner. _Oh yeah, fuck you, Drake. And really, who takes relationship advice from Rihanna? _Now she's totally losing it, allowing random song lists to completely mess with her already raw emotions.

She knows very well what she was losing by pushing Jesse away, she didn't need the help of haunting lyrics from various pop songs. Beca scrubs her face with her hands and looks at the screen. She makes a decision. _Shit or get off the pot_. She's going to apologize to Jessie for being this person who just can't seem to turn off her go-to mode of shutting down. He deserves better, and should he decide he just can't deal, at least she'd know she did try.

Jesse doesn't deserve the distance she put between them; he doesn't deserve to be be in the purgatory of a relationship. She worked so hard to let him in, only to shove him out and slam the door in his face over something he didn't even have a part of. If she loved him, she'd lay her shit bare for him, and let he decide if it's worth accepting.

* * *

She feels like a stalker. She knows his film lab lets out in five minutes, and it's nowhere near where she would be at this time of day, but she's going to wait. She sits on a bench nearby, people watching. He won't see her right out, she's blocked by some shrubs, and a light post...and oh god, she _is_ a stalker.

It's kind of cold, the Atlanta air is finally realizing it's no longer fall, and she tugs at the bottom of her fingerless gloves. Beca's not sure what she's going to say but she's going to start by telling him she loves him...and maybe end it by shoving her tongue down his throat if he lets her. She's going to tell him what she's dealing with, let him all in, and let him see the fucked up mechanics of her mind and her life. She's going to allow him to tell her it's okay, and divorce sucks but it got her here, to Barden, where she is surrounded by people who care about her. He's going to take her hand, and tell her he missed her, and don't ever shut him out again, because he'll become a sad empty skin sack of a man, who would roam the earth forever pining for her.

_Yeah, hopefully, it'll go something like that._

Students start to filter out of the building, and Beca stands up to move towards them. She cranes her neck to search through the flood of hoodies and knitted caps, and she finally lands on a familiar peacoat, smiling and talking..._to Marty_.

Beca's legs aren't moving forward, she's just watching him yammer on excitedly about something, and Marty's looking at him with these puppy dog eyes, soaking in every word. It has Beca transfixed, because she wonders if she pushed him far enough where he's considering...

_Ugh._ At least have the decency to screw around with a Tri-Delt or one of those brainless broads. Not Marty, not someone Beca knows. She thinks of just walking away or attacking them. She can't decide if its rage, disappointment, or sadness she feels most. She looks back up and sees his face, his smile, and the way he's genuinely happy. She decides to book it. However, Marty sees her first, and her grin disappears, causing Jesse to look towards the source of her discontent.

Beca locks eyes with him and tries to think pleasant thoughts that don't involve ripping out Marty's hair. His demeanor changes instantly from the guy joking with his classmate; when he looks at Beca, his expression is stoic and his eyes are hard.

Beca knows she fucked up. There is no way around it. It's the same expression he gave her last year when he slammed the door unceremoniously in her face. She deserved it then and she feels like she deserves his wrath now. She was the one who took to avoiding him for almost two weeks.

He just looks at her and they have this really strange stare-off with Marty on the sidelines, watching both of them. Beca knows she is the one that needs to fix this, and it seems like Jesse's waiting. He's always waiting, and it's as simple as telling him she's just stupid and in her feelings, and what her feelings actually are. But that wall she built is mortared tight and she just…

The bells from the tower are ringing, signaling it's probably time for class rotations.

The crowd of students grow thick in between them, and Beca uses that moment to scurry away. _Wait!_, her mind screams. Her feet however, don't listen. She doesn't even see Jesse drop his head defeated, and walks away from Marty, even more frustrated.

* * *

She's sitting in the front row, watching the other Bellas practice, the way she's staring at Marty could burn a hole in the ozone. Stacie and Lily are her fellow mean girls, as the newer girls are going over the notes._ When did her life become a fucking soap opera?_ Maybe she can slap Marty like she was a character on All My Children or something.

Stacie follows Beca's eyes. "Why are you staring at her like that? Like you want to punch her right in the throat."

Beca shakes herself out of the red and picks up her water bottle. "I'm not staring at her. I wasn't. Am I?"

Lily nods.

"I didn't mean to. Marty's...nice," Beca sighs. Maybe Jesse deserves better than an emotionally fucked up girlfriend. She loves him, and part of that love is coming to a realization he deserves someone who appreciates him.

"She's okay. I don't know. Kind of bitchy though," Stacie shrugs. "Hey isn't she like...crushing on Jesse?"

Beca's death stare returns as she stares straight at Marty. "Does she? Haven't noticed."

Lily has some more sordid advice. "We could cut her face."

Beca doesn't even have the energy to object. In the corner, Cynthia Rose accidentally bumps against Fat Amy during choreography, and Beca can't even find the heart to correct her.

"Cut her face, that's not that bad of an idea," Stacie nods, but Beca just closes her eyes, and rolls her head backward. _The drama of it, yeah, it deserves its own soundtrack_. She tries to remember if in _High School Musical_, Vanessa Hudgens's character ever got to punch the blonde stupid one in the face.

* * *

The second time she tries to fix things with Jesse, she goes to the radio station. She knows his schedule, she knows he can't hide from her there. She strolls in, and almost bumps into Luke coming out of the booth.

"You," he says, like he's seen a ghost.

Beca just gives him a nod as a greeting. "I'm looking for Jesse."

Luke rolls his eyes while jerking his head to Jesse's direction. "Upstairs. Can't you hear him screeching Matchbox Twenty?"

Beca strains to hear him.

Luke deadpans. "I despise Matchbox Twenty. He's been singing that shit all day."

"Can I steal him for lunch?"

"Is that what the kids call it now? Whatever, just make him stop singing."

Beca smirks and goes to find her boyfriend when Luke says, "Beca?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time you come here, you better be coming back for your night spot."

She doesn't reply, just walks up the stairs, hearing Jesse's voice. He's not belting it out to his fullest capabilities but he's in the groove of it.

"_…I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell, I know..._" He's bobbing his head dramatically and playing a half hearted air guitar. It's kind of funny and enchanting at the same time.

She rounds the stuffed shelf and sees him with his earphones plugged in, shoving CDs in random locations. Beca doesn't want a repeat of the other day so she gathers herself and taps his shoulder. Jesse turns around, thinking it's Luke, so he's in mid song, but when he turns to see her, he abruptly stops singing. She can't help but leer at his awkwardness; it's what she misses most about talking to him.

Jesse yanks the earphones out of his ear.

"Hey, Rob Thomas," Beca says. "Can we go to lunch? I really want to talk to you. I want to clear the air between us."

He seems hesitant, looking down at his hands wrapping the earphone cord to tuck away in his pocket. "Um, I don't know if Luke-"

"He cleared it," Beca said resolutely. He's not going to brush her off, she's done that enough for the both of them.

Jesse still doesn't seem convinced but after a brief pause, he shrugs, "Um, okay, let me grab my stuff."

They walk in silence to the dining hall and after gathering some food, they sit at a table and stubbornly stare at each other, wondering what the other is thinking or who's going to speak first. Beca is the one who breaks.

"So basically Amy alerted me to the fact I'm a bigger asshole than Bumper."

Jesse frowns and picks at his salad. "That's not remotely possible. Bumper was a born one. It's like…genetic."

"But she's right. I've been a big shit to you lately."

He nods, and there's a pause before he coyly asks, "Wait…Are you talking specifically about when you were ignoring me and becoming a total recluse in your room? Or every other day of the week?"

Beca narrows her eyes because he's getting his digs in, but she deserves it a little. Free pass this once. "Look I messed up. I've done this too many times to you, and you're probably sick of it. I'm kind of sick of acting this way too. But it's who I am. When something goes wrong, when I don't want to deal, I just close off. It's stupid and I know when I do it, it's hurting other people but…it's the way I deal."

Jesse just looks at her, his eyes are warmer, he's listening so that's something.

She's not even eating, just pushing noodles around with her fork. "I am sorry for being the cold bitch that I can be when I'm going through something."

"I don't even know what you're going through," he says quietly.

"My dad..." Beca says, taking a deep breath. "My mom and my dad are fighting over alimony. My mom had to move out of out apartment because she can't afford it anymore. She's putting me in the middle and my father keeps forgetting that I'm there."

Jesse looks at her sympathetically. _He's softening_. "I'm sorry."

"Uh…thanks?" she says, before taking a breath and continuing. "It's basically just my parents' divorce is kicking my ass..I just...I shut down. It's easier. It's easier to do that than to...you know...talk about it."

"So that's where you went? That night, to your dad's?"

"I went to confront him...or slap him. The plan kept changing in the cab."

"Which did you decide?"

"Confrontation. I'm angry but not stupid. Turns out there are things I was not aware of that he let me in on. I honestly think I messed up with my dad too. If that makes you feel better."

He shakes his head. "He and I should start a support group. The _'I Got Stomped On By Beca Mitchell'_ group. I can bring the donuts."

"Like I said, I'm kind of an asshole."

He looks off, shrugging his shoulders. "Meh, it's alright. I wasn't looking for an apology. I just wanted my girlfriend back."

"Jesse, I wasn't going to..._you know_. I should have known what I was doing wasn't helping things, but breaking up wasn't my goal or anything. And the other day when I saw you with Marty-"

"My _assigned_ lab partner, Marty," he stated. "From lab."

He's trying to make a point, and she knows it but her female brain doesn't care. "She likes you. And you know it. And I was coming to talk to you and she's like all smiles and fucking giggles and you're smiling too, and I'm like-"

She stumbles over her words at this point, because that scene really did make her angry. And she's already angry enough. Angry about her parents' divorce, anxious of the unknown for her mother, angry she has to reestablish a new relationship with her father, and angry at herself.

She doesn't realize she hasn't finished her thought before he stands up and leans over the table, takes hold of her face and kisses her like he's desperately thirsty. His lips are soft and warm like she needed, and he just takes charge and kisses the hell out of her. Beca immediately melts into it, and sort of forgets her whole speech on changing and being better at communicating, because he doesn't seem all that interested.

His hands are cupping her cheeks and he only pulls back when a table of jocks start chanting _"Tongue! Tongue! Tongue!'_ at them.

Jesse pulls back and plops down in his seat, looking sheepish and smug all at the same time.

Beca did her best to act like he doesn't totally affect her. "Ok, so, I had this whole rant before you attacked my face."

He just shrugs with a smug expression.

"So we're good?" she asked, looking at her boyfriend, feeling fully exposed. She doesn't know how she feels about that yet, but she's a work in progress.

"I dunno…" Jesse sits back and looks around the cafeteria before his eyes land back on her. "Want to skip your class and hang out with me?"

Beca gives a bad ass smirk, "Already skipping."

* * *

There's alot of heavy breathing, and Beca's pretty sure people might hear them in the hallway, not that she cares. Amy left the room when they entered, slapping her ass as she mutters something about squatting on his face. When Jesse looks at her confused and a bit intrigued, Beca just says, "No."

_To the squatting on his face, that is_. She is, however, reveling in the feeling of Jesse being wrapped around her, his skin hot against hers, the feel of his abs against her. She missed him, and though he was trying to be gentlemanly and take it slow for her, when she demanded his pants need to be off,_ like now,_ he didn't hesitate.

It totally freaked her out that she's thinking of them while having sex, but she thinks of her parents, and realizes that she can't take their burdens on herself. She's young, and in love, and she wants to be hopeful. She wants to be open, and she wants Jesse to know her, all of her including her faults.

Jesse admitted to her he also needs to work on realizing when she needs space, because everyone does, he just wants her to know he's there. And when he's planting soft kisses on her clavicle and his hand reaches past her hip and down her forearm, and he links his fingers with hers, she thinks of how Jesse might be the one. He's this very special guy who is meant to last for a while, because she's now willing to allow herself to drown in him and envelop herself in his warmth, instead of reverting back to a cold lonely isolation she knows all too well.

His mouth leaves her nipples and moves up to kiss her nose. "Stop thinking of Channing Tatum. It's distracting."

"I'm cutting and pasting your head on his body," she teases breathlessly, but he covers her lips with his and hikes her leg up on his hip. The pressure is glorious and she cries out a bit in his mouth.

"He's not that attractive," Jesse says, his hips thrust a little harder. "I really did think you were about to break up with me."

When he says it, she wants to respond but he pushes forward and her body feels like it's bursting, "I was about to hold auditions for a new girlfriend."

"Please. God. Shut up," she grabs the back of his hair. "When I break up with you, you'll know."

At this point, neither want to keep up the charade of talking, and their bodies move, causing friction. The twin size bed is squeaking. Beca releases a little too loudly, her black painted nails scratching down his back, and Jesse whimpers as he's close. When he's done, they just lay there and breathe. After a few moments, he slumps beside her and she turns to look at him. They lay there, all sweaty and gross, but it's okay. At least they are there together.

Jesse's eyelids are heavy as he whispers, "How will I know?"

"Will you know what?"

"When you're really breaking up with me?"

This relationship is the first time she considers going all in. She knows a lot of the hesitation stems from the dissolution of her parents' marriage. She's afraid at some point, these good feelings will fade. She doesn't know what their future is. These thoughts are too heavy for her to consider at such a young age. Beca runs a finger down his chest, and shakes her head.

"I don't want to think about that. I don't want to think about you not being around."

Jesse leans in, kissing her neck, then he softly sings, "_I don't mind spending everyday-_"

"Stop," her eyes grow wide, and her smile drops, as his lips draw to her ear.

"-_Out on your corner in the pouring rain-_"

"Seriously? You know how I feel about Maroon 5," Beca protests but Jesse's still singing, so close to her face.

"_-Look for the girl with the broken smile. Ask her if she wants to stay awhile-_"

"I will get up and leave you here-" she's only half serious, but he breaks into a ridiculous falsetto.

"_She will be loved! She will be loved!_" his voice cracks a little and they both just crack up that he can't hit the note. She feels better. This feels better. The soundtrack to her life as sung by Jesse isn't half bad.

**_Nest Up: Semi-finals..._**

**_Songs Used:_**

**_David Guetta and Nicki Minaj- "Turn Me On"_**

**_Emeli Sande' "My Kind of Love"_**

**_Kelly Clarkson- "Darkside"_**

**_Leona Lewis- "Bleeding Love"_**

**_Matchbox Twenty- "Unwell"_**

**_Maroon 5- "She Will Be Loved"_**

**Rihanna and Drake- _"Take Care"_**


	12. Chapter 12

"_And here are the Barden Trebles, who despite the loss of their ICCA championship last year, I still get tingly in my girly parts when they are on stage."_

_John laughed. "Don't we all, Gail? Don't we all? What makes them even more capable of winning this year, is their former leader, Bumper Allen is back."_

"_I heard he sung back up vocals for the sexual John Mayer," Gail said gingerly._

"_Yes, and we would have all loved to hear the recordings, had the studio that housed them not catch on fire, burn to the ground, and with it, three of the record techs perished while trying to rescue John Mayer's iPhone."_

"_Tragic._ _Was it an iPhone4S, John?"_

"_No. Just an iPhone4, which makes the story even more sad, the fact that John Mayer only had the iPhone4."_

Beca stood off to the side, just right behind the curtain, watching Jesse take his spot. It amazed her how calm he was before each performance, as if it was just a thing he does, it just happens to be in front of a hundred or so people. He rocked a dark gray sweater with the burgundy dress shirt and gray tie underneath. She had to say, he could certainly make a sweater look good.

They were slowly making their way back to normal, or what was normal for them. Jesse was trying to give her the space she required, and Beca was trying to remember her emotions weren't the only ones that matter. She knew the distance she had driven between them would take awhile to close, but she was willing to take on the challenge, because in the end she had Jesse.

Everything was all smiles and sweet gazes at her boyfriend's back, until...

"_Ohhh ohhh ohhh oh oh oh ohhhhhhhh..._" It echoed off the rafters and the crowd went instantly into cheers.

"Please tell me that's not what I think it is?" Cynthia Rose approached Beca, and beside her, Amy nodded silently.

It was Kolio's voice that make the Bellas jerk back to reality. "_Trying to tell you no, but my body keeps on telling you yes...Trying to tell you stop, but your lipstick got me so out of breath..."_

Beca narrowed her eyes."Seriously?! Maroon 5 ruins my life."

"I'll go get the van," Jessica offered, but Beca stopped her and shook her head.

"What's going on?" Marty asked, her eyes widening like a baby. "Why is everyone freaking out?"

Kolio skipped across the stage smoothly, gyrating his hips and pointing at the swooning college chicks in the crowd. The bass was perfect, Unicycle's beat boxing was on Donald's level at this point.

And then of course Jesse and Benji with the back up vocals, "_I'd be waking up, in the morning probably hating myself...And I'd be waking up, feeling satisfied but guilty as hell..."_

Beca loved Jesse and adored Benji but right now, competitively, she wanted to kick them in the face. "I have never hated anyone as much as I hate Adam Levine."

"Kim Kardashian," Fat Amy reminded her.

"Yeah but everyone hates her."

"We can still win this, right?" Stacie said, fanning the sudden heat of seduction that hit her. "Wow, his hips, move so...rapidly."

"Focus," Lily nudged.

Stacie smirked as Kolio turned around towards the Bellas for a quick _Fuck you guys _dance move. "Oh, trust, I _am_ focusing."

"And...we've lost Stacie," Cynthia Rose replied as she glared at the mesmerized girl. Her resigned question to Beca was, "You think we can still win?"

Marty looked so confused on the freak out of her team mates. "Of course, why wouldn't we?"

"It's Adam Levine," Reagan answered and the girls looked somber.

"So?"

Amy's explanation was even simpler. "Adam Fucking Levine. "

"I don't get-" Marty just couldn't understand.

Jessica held up her phone with a picture of Adam Levine on a magazine cover, naked and holding his junk.

"Oh shit, we're gonna lose," Marty sighed.

"Look, stop. We're going to win this thing," Beca said resolutely, trying to pull it together. She swatted Jessica's phone away.

"_So I cross my heart and I hope to die...that I only stay with you one more night...And I know i've said it a million times...But I'll only stay with you one more nighttttttttttt..._"

When Benji hit that note, the audience jumped out of their seats and the groans behind Beca got even worse. Beca should have known. The last week, Jesse had been tossing out lyrics at her from random Maroon 5 songs, but she just thought he was doing that to annoy the hell out of her. He does that sometimes. But no, it was a subtle way of letting her know her ass kicking would come in the form of the band she hated and revered most, Maroon 5.

Then the beat switched, and suddenly, from nowhere, Bumper runs to the front of the stage, causing screams and cheers as he belted out The Wanted's _I Found You._

_"She wants me to come over...I can tell her eyes don't lie...She's calling me in the dark...She moves us around the room where the lights turn like the sky...Confidence like a rock star..._"

He then swiveled and pointed at Fat Amy before doing a very unnecessary hip thrust that no one else would see or care for in the audience.

"Holy fucking baby easter bunny," Amy wheezed, gripping the side of the stage.

"What's wrong?"

"Bumper...he...and then...he did," Fat Amy simulated the thrust to her confused team mates.

"Was that supposed to be sexy?" Ashley asked, genuinely confused.

Jessica fanned Fat Amy. "To some people."

Lily and Cynthia Rose shook their heads in disagreement.

"It's okay guys, get her some water," Beca rolled her eyes, and then she turned back around to zone in on the back of stupid Bumper's head. She wished she had a rock to throw at him. The boys finished their set, thankfully. Then they walked off stage to the sound of a roaring applause, with a smug swagger as they walked past the Bellas. Jesse smiled at a salty Beca, who only nodded her head to say, _Well played_.

Beca turned back to her girls. "We got this. You hear me? We are the reigning champions of the ICCAs. We're the baddest bitches in here. Screw Adam Levine."

Everyone perked up at Beca's blunt and nonsense speech, and she continued. "We own this. Got it ladies?"

The group nodded and hugged as the Bellas were called to stage. Beca pulled out her pitch pipe, breathed deeply and...

* * *

She unlocked her door after a tiring day of classes, with nothing on her mind but the opportunity to sit down and work on her mixes. Swinging the door open, Beca stopped suddenly at the sight of Bumper laying nonchalantly across Amy's bed, fully clothed thankfully, holding the ICCA Semi Finals Trophy. The Trebles had won, and the Bellas were strong enough to land in a close second place. Despite the setback, Beca was working hard at their new set list for the Finals.

She rolled her eyes, not wanting to relive that crappy night and entered her room, saying nothing to Bumper. She was not in the mood for whatever the hell he was doing.

Beca shrugged off her jacket and dropped her bag unceremoniously on her bed before plopping down in her chair. Her back was to Amy's side of the room, and she silently prayed where ever Amy was, she would come back and retrieve Bumper soon.

"Well hello..." he said in an over exaggerated fashion, but she kept her focus on starting her computer and preparing to slip on her headphones. After a moment, Bumper finally said, "You're going to act like I'm not here?"

"That was the plan," Beca sighed.

"That's rude. Are you always this mean to your guests?"

"You're not my guest."

"Well...Amy's in the bathroom. Freshening up. I figured, since she's a big old loser now, I'd take her out to dinner to cheer her up. Well...she's paying, but I'm driving so...same thing."

Beca tossed a look over her shoulder. "Why are you talking?"

"We can't talk Beca? You're interesting to me."

"Get out."

"No, I'm serious. Not like, in a _me-and-you_ thing, because you couldn't handle all this...but more like a...science experiment. I just want to see your reactions."

She grimaced. "You're weird. And annoying."

"I have a proposition for you."

Beca turned around fully and crossed her arms. "No."

"Wow. That's...does Jesse have to deal with this all the time? Is there like an off switch?"

Beca held up her middle finger and wagged it.

"Ok...well...I'll just tell them you don't deejay for parties," he looked down at his trophy as he rubbed it.

Despite herself, Beca's interests were piqued. Besides the mixes she did for Luke, she never actually deejayed a party at Barden. Despite every cell screaming not to, she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Ahhh...see...that gets you going. I might know of a party at this fraternity off campus. But...I don't think the Trebles are right to do it. Plus we're busy. And...I only travel ten minutes away from campus, so anything farther...not worth my time."

"Is there a point in there somewhere?"

"This frat, Nu Alpha, they want us to do their party. I just...the schedule won't fit. So I wanted to offer him an alternative, a deejay. In good faith. But you're the only deejay I know...so..."

Beca stared hard at him for a few moments, trying to reconcile in her brain if she should believe him. "Are they paying?"

"Of course, I don't work for free. Volunteerism is killing America," Bumper snorted. "Two hundred."

"When is it?"

"This weekend. You're free right, other than your silly little practices? I'll let them know you said yes. You said yes right?"

"Why can't I talk to them myself?"

"They know me. I mean, let me just tell them you said yes and then hell, you can facebook friend them or whatever. I don't care. But you get half now, and half after."

Beca dealt with the internal struggle in her mind. She had no reason to believe anything that came out of Bumper's mouth, but this was an opportunity she wanted to have since she got here. She had every reason to turn it down and kick Bumper in the hall, and she would have too, but the pull to this deejaying gig was strong.

She crossed her arms and leveled her eyes on him. "Everything you say out of your mouth is suspect. You lie to me, I punch you in the crotch."

Bumper grimaced and reached down to adjust his crotch. "Ouch."

"Got it?"

"Yes. I'll call them, and get your deposit. It's on the up and up. I figured, it'd be a nice gesture, since you know...this happened," he lifted the trophy in the air.

"Wanna keep that? Put it away, now," Beca grumbled, turning back to her computer.

Just then Amy walked in, and Beca smiled at how pretty her roommate looked, even for a troll like Bumper. "Hey sexy roomie, we're off to dinner. You in for the night?"

"Just me and my mixes."

"How sad," Bumper remarked.

"Your face is sad," Beca snapped back.

As Amy grabbed her purse, Bumper stood up and gave Beca a creepy smile. "So...it's a deal?"

He reached out his hand and Beca glared at it before he yanked it back. "You're like a pitbull that's been trained to dogfight. No mercy."

Beca stood up and walked over to the door as the couple exited. She grabbed Bumper. "I want my money by tomorrow. And you will pay for her dinner tonight...and dessert...and if she wants to stop and get ice cream after that...you'll pay for that too. Got it?"

"You're wrinkling my shirt," he pried her hands off. Beca stepped out in the hall way and saw the couple retreating down the hall. Beca delivered on last glare at Bumper before she shut the door.

* * *

Jesse looked the GPS and smiled over at his girlfriend as they drove further into Atlanta. "You sure about this? I wouldn't trust Bumper."

"No one trusts him. But a job is a job, is a job," Beca sighed. "Plus, money is nice. I like money. You can spend it."

"Yeah, I heard with this money stuff, you can buy things."

"You can take some of it, and make more of it."

Jesse looked at her, and jokingly asked, "Do you have a gambling problem, Beca?"

"Gambling is not a problem, it's a hobby," Cynthia Rose said bitterly from the backseat. Beca was told by her contact to bring friends with her. These were her options for tonight.

"Are we there yet? I have to pee," Ashley asked.

"Almost. Lily, you have anything you want to say?" Jesse asked, adjusting his mirror to look at the three occupants in the back seat.

Lily just shook her head and looked out of the window.

"Okay..." Jesse turned and they went into a neighborhood in the deeper part of Atlanta. "Do you know where we are?"

"Haven't a clue. I'm supposed to ask for a guy name Ralph."

"Is that after or before we realize he's a serial killer?"

Beca glared over at her driving boyfriend. "Movies. You watch too much."

"His name is Ralph. I've never met a Ralph I trusted," Jesse proclaimed.

They pulled in front of a older house, and Beca jumped out to grab her bag. The other three occupants got out as well. Cynthia Rose looked at the house.

"Beca, are we at a HBCU?"

"I guess," Beca shrugged.

Ashley looked shockingly over to Cynthia. "What's that?"

"Historically Black College and University."

Ashley frowned. "So politically incorrect. It's African American."

Jesse shoved his hands in his pockets, "I should go in and check it out first."

"Jesse, calm down. I talked to Ralph twice, he seemed like a nice guy."

"Beca, I don't care who's here or where we are, but if I don't know anyone, I don't trust them with you," Jesse frowned as he followed his fearless girlfriend up to the patio.

"Whoa there, Terminator, I'm fine. It'll be fine. The party starts in forty five minutes. I'm going to set up, and you'll be here, and it'll be fun."

"Okay," he sighed as the door opened and a guy who resembled the large guy on _the Green Mile_ opened the door.

He eyed them suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"I'm Beca, the DJ."

"You're a DJ?" he asked, disbelieving. "You?"

"I'm also an X-Man, but I DJ on the side. Is Ralph here?" Beca snarked.

He snorted and opened the door to reveal a smaller man, that was dressed impeccably for a college party. "Beca?"

"Ralph?"

"Yeah, come in," he opened the door and Beca and Jesse stepped into the house. They looked around at the various guys stopping and staring at them.

Ashley leaned over, "Um...this is a black frat."

"Yeah, so?" Cynthia Rose hissed.

"Nothing. I'm color blind," Ashley replied.

"I am too, I can't see anything but the color gray...and aqua green," Lily said softly. "...and yellow. Sometimes purple. And red. I love red."

They followed Ralph into the living room, where the DJ set up would be.

Beca seemed to go with the flow, which surprised Jesse. Jesse wasn't worried much, it wasn't a set up for them to be trapped by a serial killer, but he'd heard Beca's music and she does alot of House, Dubstep, and Pop, mixed with a little Indie and some R&B. He wasn't quite sure what kind of music this party called for, but he hoped Beca could play it. But she didn't seemed fazed so, he figured he shouldn't be either.

"Over there is your space, plugs, surge protector. No one will be near the perimeter, I hope, but we usually have a packed house during homecoming."

"Homecoming? What school?" Jesse asked.

"Clark Atlanta," Ralph replied and waited to see if Jesse knew anything about the school.

Jesse was cool about it though. "Awesome. Did you win?"

"Naw, stupid quarterback fumbled the entire game away," Ralph replied and turned to Beca. "Need anything? A drink?"

Beca was already setting up. "Water?"

Ralph looked at her, narrowing his eyes. "Did Bumper tell you this was a Hip Hop party?"

Beca shook her head. So many people under estimate her skills. Ralph, Bumper, even Jesse probably didn't think she could rock this party. She'd show them. "No, but it's weird you wanted an a capella group at first."

"Huh? No, we wanted to call Donald, because Donald knows a deejay. But he graduated, and Bumper said he had someone and for a small fee, he'd give me the name. Our usual deejay got sick."

Beca's eyes grew dark. "Wait, you paid Bumper a fee? Bumper's such an asshole. But forget that. I can do this. It'll be fine."

Ralph looked amused at Beca's rant, then asked the trio of girls did they want anything. After getting their orders, he walked out the room. Jesse watched Beca set up with pure concentration.

"You need me to do anything?" Jesse asked genuinely.

She hooked up her laptop and iPod, and without skipping a step, "Just sit back and prepare to be amazed."

He smiled at her and watched as she hooked herself in. She felt him watching her like she was mystical creature or something. She was finally all connected when she stood up straight and breathed.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked, slipping her headphones around her neck.

"Because you look really hot right now," he shrugged as Beca blushed.

Ralph walked by to pass her the water. "You ready?"

Beca took a sip of the bottled water, capped it, and then put her headphones up on her ears. "Are you?"

Before Ralph could come back with a reply, the speakers started blaring with a Dancehall/Reggae mix Beca had done. Behind Ralph, some of the house occupants started bobbing their heads and nodding in approval.

Ralph smiled. "Let's do this."

As the night went on, the house became crowded. The crowd's response to Beca's mixes were strong. They cheered and danced, the darkness of the room, only adding to the atmosphere. Beca was in her zone, unshakable. She felt in her element at this point, totally in control of the music, of the emotions in the room. Jesse stood nearby; watching her face as she switched the flow of the song again and riled the crowd up. He had danced briefly with Lily, who was now grinding on some guy with an intensity he'd never seen in Lily. Ashley was beside him earlier on, straight and awkward, but after some persuading and shots, she was conversing very happily with a group of girls. Cynthia Rose was dancing with guys, girls, anyone.

Everyone was having a good time. Beca glanced over to see Jesse watching her with a proud look on his face. He knew about her music, and her mixing. But he had no idea how Beca liked any and all music. She was music. Watching her now, the smirk on her face as she scratched her turntables and manipulated flows of her songs for the crowd, Beca felt exposed to him now. While he'd seen her completely naked or in tears, Beca had always hid a part of herself from him. But here, seeing her do what she lived and breathed doing, she looked even happier than when she did a set for the Bellas.

She had felt like she failed them at Semi Finals, but the Trebles truly had the better set. But next time, the time that counted, Beca would let them underestimate her, before she did just what she did here- make them all move to her music. The Bellas would win again, and tonight, despite her crappy week, and Bumper probably setting her up, thinking she couldn't mix hip hop, Beca is on her game.

Ralph walked up to Jesse and tapped a red solo cup at him. Jesse took a sip, knowing he had to drive later. He didn't want to get drunk. He'd nurse it to be polite until they had to leave.

"She's a beast, man," Ralph admired.

"Yeah, she definitely is."

Ralph laughed. "I underestimated her when she first got here. Can't judge a book by it's cover, that's for sure."

"Nope, not that book at least."

They stood looking around the room at the dancing people.

"What is she doing?" Ralph pointed to Ashley who was grinding on a stand up lamp.

"She's in love with it, I think," Jesse sighed. He'd watch her, make sure she doesn't get hurt or pass out. Right now, she was really into the lamp and in his eyesight.

He turned back to Beca who looked up and smiled at him. Jesse tilted his cup at her in response. The song switched again and Beca crooked her finger for Jesse to come over to her.

"Having fun?"

"I'm amazed. You're amazing. This is amazing," he smiled.

Beca felt a heady feeling she gets when Jesse says things like that to her. "How much have you had to drink? We're almost done. In like thirty minutes, then...we pack up and head back."

"If we can peel Ashley off the floor," Jesse gestured to Ashley hugging the wall.

Beca looked at her concerned but she knew Jesse was watching out for her, "Back to work."

Jesse leaned in and kissed her shoulder as she began to mix the next song and the crowd went wild. When it was over, it was so late, almost two in the morning. Jesse drove with everyone in the back seat passed out and Beca even closed her eyes. They pulled into Barden and Jesse walked a sleepy Beca back to her room.

At her door, she smiled tiredly, but accomplished. "I rocked that shit. And tomorrow, I plan to punch Bumper in the larynx."

"That's assault, and as funny as it might be, I'm not going to let you do that," he said, kissing her nose. "Because we've had enough of the prison life, DJ Beca Mitchell."

"DJ Mitch," she corrected. "So people think I'm a guy and then when they see me, I'm like the petite ninja of jams."

"I see that."

"I'm so sleepy," she yawned. Jesse nodded, stepping back to let her go in her room. "Where are you going?"

"You're tired. I'm letting you go to bed."

"We can both go," she smiled and pulled at his arm. Jesse chuckled and obliged, because after all, no one says no to a petite ninja.

**Maroon 5 "One More Night"**

**The Wanted "I Found You"**

**Adam Levine's nude photo (in case you are interested) clubs/adam-levine/images/26320691/title/adam-levin e-naked-photo**

**Something's coming down the pike before finals. Uh oh...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Long time, no see. I know, I went AWOL. Grad school is kicking my ass, I love it, but I had project after project. So that took priority. I did finally finish this chapter after much retweaking. I have the next chapter 95% done, so don't fear a quicker update, if you are still interested! Forgive me, I adore you all! Go see Skylar in 21 and Over as well. Even if just to look at his face.**

"Yeah, no…this isn't going to happen," Beca said sternly, her hand slipping the brochure back across the table at a slack jawed Stacie and Fat Amy. Bella practice just ended with the lot of the girls wheezing their goodbyes before leaving. She worked them hard and good before they left for the debauchery known as Spring Break, which was next week.

The two Bellas glared at Beca like their eyes would change her decision. Stacie shoved the brochure right back at her. "Um, yeah it is. Everyone…well the people that love fun, wants to go. It's spring break, Beca, come on."

"Myrtle Beach huh?" She picked up the brochure and looked through it just to shut them up. It was some timeshare Bumper's parents had. Donald was coming up to drive the bus there and Lily had been a little more vocal that whole week in anticipation. Her new found audibility lent to some new sexual facts Beca wished she never knew.

Everyone seemed so excited, except Beca, Jesse, and maybe Benji. Benji was going to some illusion or magician's conference that week.

_"You're going to a…magic conference?" Beca picked up one of Benji's bobble heads and watched her two favorite nerds fuss about what Benji was going to pack for his trip. When Jesse first told her Benji was going to a magician's conference, she didn't believe anything like that existed. But Benji seemed really excited about it, so Beca was excited for him._

_"It's called Illusion Inclusion. Cool right? I've saved up for years to go. It's technically not a magic conference, because magic is a little more complicated, it's more of a sleight of hand than anything," Benji yapped as he folded his extra cape in a bag. Jesse took out the extra cape, causing Beca to laugh at his antics. _

_"So, is it magic or like that David Blaine type of stuff?" she asked._

_Before Benji could reply, Bumper, who had been spying at the open doorway, spoke up. "Yo, Hogwarts, that 'sleight of hand' shit sounds a lot like masturbation."_

_Jesse gave an annoyed sigh. "Bumper, dude…"_

_"Can we help you? Do you just go around lurking in doorways and listening to private conversations?"Beca remarked, her tone flat._

_"Yes, and yes," Bumper sneered, and then looked over to Benji. "But seriously bro, that shit will not get you laid. Trust me."_

_"You would know," Beca muttered to Jesse's amusement._

_"I'm trying to help him, unlike you two."_

_"Yeah, I'm sure you can help with that,"Beca challenged him._

_"Let's get something straight, Bumper gets the ladies. Of all sizes, shapes, cultures…widths." He stretched his arms. "Bumper gets laid."_

_"You know when you talk in the third person, we all think it's weird," Jesse replied._

_Bumper's face dropped. "No, weird… is what this dude is doing. Going to magic camp."_

_Benji turned around, his face full of hurt. "First off, I'll have you know, sleight of hand is world renowned. There are shows in Vegas built around the art of illusion."_

_ "Whatever you say, Harry Potter. Only magic I care about is, making panties disappearrrrrrr," Bumper replied in a sing song voice, doing a stupid dance in the doorway. "So…let me guess you're not coming with us to the beach?"_

_Benji shook his head._

_"Good," Bumper looked over to Jesse. "What about you? Wanna go out in the sun and sand?"_

_Beca wouldn't forget the deer in headlights look Jesse gave before he abruptly turned back to packing Benji's bag and mumbled his response. "No…I'm going…on a train…somewhere."_

_"Dude, if you say Platform Nine and three quarters or some J.K. Rowlings weird shit like that, I'm done with you too," Bumper announced._

_"And yet…you know so many little details!" Beca hissed, still a little jarred by Jesse's response._

_Bumper gave one last sneer, turning to leave as he stated, "I may or may not have banged the girl's Quidditch captain last year…"_

_Magician's Conference_. Jesse, however, was being very vague about his spring break plans. Now Beca was intrigued by her boyfriend's secretive nature. _Where was he going? What was so damn secretive he couldn't just say it?_ Looking at the brochure Stacie gave her, she wondered why Jesse wouldn't want to go frolick at Bumper's stupid beach house with the rest of their friends.

She doesn't want to disappoint her girls, but she really didn't want to go. It felt off to her for the Trebles to invite them anyway, and when Fat Amy first told her, all Beca could focus on was the annoying sadistic smirk set on Bumper's face. She'd just have to be the little anti-social alt girl she was and give this one a hard pass.

"In the interest of being nosey, who's going?"

"Me," Stacie said, laying her hand on her clavicle. "I just got this cute little thong bikini…"

Beca was amused that Stacie did not see Fat Amy cut her eyes as she went on to describe the offensive string she wanted to call swimwear.

Fat Amy laid melodramatically across the piano. "Stacie, shut up. No one cares about your dental floss bikini. Anyway…I'm going, Lily, Reagan, Ashley-"

"Looks fun. And the answer, is still no," Beca replied with a shrug. She slipped the brochure back at her friends. "I'm sure it'll be one giant fucking orgy I'll be glad to miss."

"You're not going because Jesse is going home or somewhere else for Spring Break, admit it?" Stacie chided.

"We're not that kind of couple," Beca shrugged. "He has plans and like I said, my dad and I are gonna hang out. I'm totally fine with that. But seriously, go have fun, don't die of alcohol poisoning or get an STD or anything. I need you guys in top shape for Finals."

"Every time you say no to fun, a new Hooter's waitress starts her shift. Think of that next time," Fat Amy shook her head in resignation. "Think of the children, Beca."

"Still a giant NO."

As the pair dejectedly walked away, Beca bit her lip. She wasn't second guessing her decision not to go and witness the awkward body melding of the Trebles and Bellas. No, her mind wandered to her boyfriend and his elusive plans. It was true, Jesse's super-secret Spring Break away from the Trebles and Beca, only made her feel even lonelier, even though she did not want to spend six days (or six minutes) watching the two groups make out or screw each other while her other half was…doing something, somewhere else.

_Where the fuck __was__ he going for Spring Break?_ She had to get it out of him somehow.

She would formulate her plan on her way back to her room. As she packed her bag, Beca got a text from Jesse.

**_Hey. Meet me outside. Spy stuff. I'm hiding in the bushes._**

Beca tossed her bag over her shoulder and walked out to see Jesse leaning against the stone building, trying to act coy.

"I want to take you on an adventure," He took her hand and they walked for a minute, stopping in front of a familiar building.

"To the dining hall?" Beca said, flatly. "Wow, you know how to woo a girl."

"What? No, we just walked this way," Jesse rambled before taking a deep breath. "Okay, I'm nervous, because I want to give you something, ask you something. And if you say no…I'm probably going to go drown myself in the fountain."

"You need help moving a dead body?"

Jesse looked at her with an air of seriousness she rarely sees and Beca's not sure anymore what's happening. Then he reached into his bag and produced a folded brochure.

"What's this?" she asked, taking it and seeing it was a slip cover for a train ticket. She read it slowly, her eyes roaming over the print but her mind seemed to disconnect and not realize what she was reading.

**Amtrak Ticket**

**Rebecca Mitchell**

**ATL to NYC**

**Train: 695**

**One Reserved Coach Seat**

"Wait….w-what's this?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"Your train ticket. To New York. With me…for spring break," Jesse said, his Adam's apple bobbed as his words seemed strangled.

Beca's eyes ripped from the ticket to his face, his eyes looking a bit fearful, searching for her response. Jesse looked so vulnerable, almost childlike as he watched her reaction.

He continued to speak to fill the stunned silence between them as Beca continued to look at the ticket. "So…I basically used all the money I made working at the radio station. The train, hotel, food, and stuff, I got covered. I saved some Christmas money and I might have promised my dad I would paint the garage this summer if he gave me an advance- but I'd like to take you to a play on Broadway. And maybe…you can show me around since…you used to live there. We can go see your old friends…we could do nothing, I mean, whatever you want…"

She was still speechless, her tongue failed to move, her cheeks red, and her eyes were a little too fucking watery. This guy, _her guy_, got her a train ticket to New York. _New York_. Sure, they had been to New York for competition, but they rarely stayed more than a day or two. She remembered her promise to see New York with him on their terms. Now she's ready.

He was staring at her for some kind of confirmation, but there was nothing. "Um, so…okay. I'm going to go do that drowning thing now."

"Stop…y-you…did this…I…" she stuttered, because it's rare she doesn't have a quick or snarky reply at hand. She's usually calm, composed and witty as hell, but right now, Jesse Swanson was able to make her forget the English language.

"I just want to take you somewhere," he said softly.

She's going to New York to spend spring break with the best got damn guy in the whole fucking world. She launched herself at him, kissing his lips. When she pulled back, Jesse was smiling. "You sure you don't want to go Myrtle Beach?"

Jesse's expression became serious. "I'd rather spend my week with you, not begging Bumper to put pants back on. One condition though."

"Conditions. Okay, what?"

"We don't mention the Finals. We don't argue. We have lots and lots of naked time, and...we go see _Book of Mormon_."

"One of these things is not like the other."

"Say yes?!" he squeezed her tighter.

"Fine! But...the no arguing thing...I can't promise."

"As long as you're naked, I really won't care." Her response to that was a punch to his arm.

* * *

The idea of going away with Jesse was both exhilarating and horrifying. They had spent time together before, sleep overs (where sleep is rarely involved) at Barden and the summer when they visited each other, but they never went away from their comfort zones. At first, her father wasn't too happy to hear that his daughter would be staying in a hotel room with her boyfriend in New York, but even her father knew how much she missed it.

_"How do I know you're not going to be holed up in some hotel room having sex and doing drugs all week?"_

_"Dad, it's Jesse. I mean, we might go score meth, but nothing crazy."_

_"Don't be funny," her dad frowned. "Besides, I was looking forward to taking you to the zoo next week. Make a family thing out of it."_

_"This might sound shocking but I'm nineteen years old. So, no to the zoo. I'm going, Dad. I'm going because I'm an adult…sort of and this is the nicest thing that he's ever done for me. I want to show Jesse around New York."_

_Her dad was quiet for a while, and stared at her with an intense concentration for a moment before realizing she was right. "Just…don't get pregnant. Or do drugs. And check in daily. And...don't get pregnant."_

_"You said that already," Beca huffed._

_"I don't think I can ever say it enough."_

_"I get it. I can handle that request. But you know…it is New York, anything is possible," Beca muttered and her father's face fell before she shook her head. "It's a joke. I was joking. No one's getting pregnant. In fact, I just wished away my uterus. Oh, can we get a ride to the station?"_

* * *

The hotel was nice enough. They had no fear of being shanked or robbed, so that was a plus. Beca was impressed with Jesse's ability to use Travel Advisor. He knew very little about New York City, and she could appreciate his new found wonder and his naiveté for getting into tourist traps. But the fact he planned this trip, _for months_, was enough for her to not give him a hard time.

"It has a nice bed," Jesse said suggestively, plopping down on the fluffy white duvet.

Beca dropped her bag and looked at her boyfriend try to pathetically lay in a seductive pose. "Hey, fun fact. Did you know, most hotel beds don't get laundered properly, thus right now, you're sitting on all types of semen, urine, and blood?"

Jesse jumped abruptly off, a terrified look on his face. "Well…I wasn't that horny anyway."

He pulled out his phone and laughed. "So I texted your dad and my mom to let them know we're here. You dad texted back-**_Try to get out of the hotel room_**. Wow...yeah, that's not awkward."

They walked out into the New York breeze, the city she remembered bustling around them. She remembered this vaguely, her life had been taken up so much with Barden, it takes her a minute to adjust to her New York self. She pointed out a few touristy things she knew Jesse would appreciate, which he did because he's a nerd.

Bumper never let the Trebles go far from the hotel when they visited the Lincoln Center, besides, the competition was always on a Saturday and it took all most of the next Sunday to drive back to campus. Beca understood, Aubrey practically packed them back in the van right after their competition, though she was kind enough to let them stop by a few touristy spots for picture taking. So she felt honored Jesse wanted to really experience New York with her.

They ate greasy New York pizza and stopped in a few shops. Jesse looked like a kid in a candy store as they watched a few sidewalk entertainers do their thing.

"He did a backflip while playing the drums. How is that even possible?"Jesse kept turning back to look, but Beca was tired and wanted to go back to the room.

"He's a ninja," Beca looped her arm in his as they walked back to the hotel; Jesse was grinning the entire time.

His smile was contagious. She _loved him. _She loved him for not just doing this, but for caring enough to do it. Because guys his age don't normally think to surprise their girlfriends with trips. Because guys like Jesse don't usually fall for girls like Beca, or at least she thought. She did everything she could to brush him off and there he stayed, regardless. He took her for all she was, sarcastic, edgy, awesomely bitchy- all of that, and he just rolled with it. She's grateful, she truly is. She thought of how much in love she was with this brown haired boy who got excited that their hotel bathroom had a shower head that was actually OVER their head, and she decided she'd strip off her clothes and go test out the water spray with him.

"Water conservation," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek in between his shoulder blades.

When she told them she had plans to show him New York as she knew it, the look on his face was that of amusement. After all, they had done so many other touristy things. They went to see _The Book of Mormon_, and Beca could barely concentrate for watching Jesse's reaction. He lit up like a Christmas tree at the appearance of the stage and Beca felt her heart beat a little faster at his love for score. So a few days of nonstop planned activities had passed, and Beca wanted to show Jesse the real New York, the scene that got her involved in music.

"Look at me, eating a real New York vendor hot dog," he chewed and grinned like an idiot at her.

Beca nodded, "Watch out everyone, we're working with a bad ass right here. Eating from a suspect food truck and everything."

Jesse cut his eyes at his sarcastic girlfriend and took another big bite of his hot dog. "Seriously Bec, this hot dog...is probably the best thing I've ever eaten."

"That's not sad at all," she sighed, looking at her new text from Amy.

**_Ashley's gag reflex (or lack of) is amazing!_**

Beca frowned. "I don't even want to know what that means."

"Wha-?" Jesse asked, shoving the rest of his hot dog in his mouth.

"Nothing," Beca shook her head at him, and then smiled. "Hey, dog boy, wanna go out tonight?"

"Sure, where to?"

"Just, a place I know."

He sipped his soda and eyed her suspiciously. "The night's not going to end with us running around the city, looking for some strange band, is it?"

"Wait, I know this one. What's that movie with the goofy kid you made me watch?"

Jesse glared at her. "_Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist_. And Michael Cera is not goofy. You respect the god of geeks, got it?"

Beca apologized and convinced Jesse they should go to Pacha, a club she used to illegally frequent. They went back to the hotel for some downtime and after a dinner of pizza, decided to get ready.

* * *

"Ya know, I noticed something," She heard Jesse's voice from the bathroom. He was looking in the mirror, spiking his hair. Beca bounced around the room, struggling to put on her spiked boots.

"That you require more mousse in your hair than I do?"

He stuck his head out of the door and glared at her. "No, smart ass. And it's the only way to control these curls. Anyway...I was saying, I noticed that you haven't made plans with any old friends. We can totally see them if you want. It's your week too, you know."

Beca smiled from her seat on the bed. "No. I wouldn't even know how to get in touch. I mean, you know I loathe social media, and you had to force me to use Twitter...so I think I keep up with them enough to know I've got enough friends at Barden."

Jesse seemed satisfied with that answer. It was true; Beca's life before Barden, as interesting as it was, was not one she wanted to merge with her new life. When she was forced to move to DC, she was angry and bitter, and never took the time to really say goodbye or keep in touch. Ironic, since her friends were her escape during her parent's divorce. Beca didn't worry about missing her old friends. She had reverted into herself, instead of letting her friends know where she was going, she just let the friendships end. Not that they cared much. When she came to Barden, she finally got a taste of real healthy friendship and she was fine with that.

Once dressed, Beca and Jesse hailed a cab and went to Pacha. The line to get inside wrapped around the building, so the couple patiently waited. Beca kept promising it was worth it, that Jesse hadn't danced until he danced at Pacha. He seemed skeptical but she'd turn him, she was sure. Jesse stood behind her in the line, his warmth against her back, and she reveled in the way his hands protectively encircled her small hips. He had nice hands, but the past few days she'd grown to appreciate them as they trailed all over her.

He leaned down to her ear, "This is swanky."

Beca leaned back against him. "Did you just use the word '_swanky_'?"

She could feel him smiling behind her. "Nope."

Before she could toss out a sarcastic remark, her phone buzzed, and Beca looked to see it was another text from Amy.

**_Stupid drunk. Lily did a karaoke song about a blow job. Stacie got a tattoo in her no-no place. TTYL._**

She showed it to Jesse. "Well they are certainly having fun down there."

"They have a very different definition of fun," Beca said, putting her phone in her pocket as the line moved.

"Well I'm glad we came to New York," he said, kissing the side of her face. "I could only imagine the noises coming out of Bumper's room."

"Ew. Stop. Don't put that image in my brain."

They got in fairly easy once they reached the door; the bouncer didn't care how old you were as long as you looked attractive. He didn't tag them as underage, hence why Beca liked this club, no one seemed to give a fuck. The music was offensively loud, just the way Beca remembered it. Pacha was one of those clubs that played everything. She guided Jesse around the club, tugging him by hand past the multitude of sweaty guys, and scantily dressed women.

"Let's get a drink," she yelled back, and his hand gripped hers tighter.

They got to the bar and Beca ordered two shots. Just like she remembered, no one asked for ID. She handed one to Jesse and he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye and downed it. Beca let the warmth hit her veins, and she leaned over to Jesse, practically yelling in his ear, "Wanna dance?"

Jesse looked surprised. It was some awful house music but she wanted to get sweaty and offensively dirty dance with her boyfriend. She ordered another shot for them, and this time Jesse took it like a champ before she grabbed his hand and moved him to the dance floor, her arms waving in the air as she carelessly bounced around. She could tell Jesse loved seeing her like that, free, happy, and dancing. Usually she stands back and scolds the playlist of the deejay, but she's in fucking New York City with her boyfriend, why wouldn't she dance?

The beat was hard, the dark and the flashes of light just made her feel uninhibited. She moved with the sound of the bass and sweat beaded on her brow. Jesse was up against her, and she closed her eyes and just felt the music and his skin. She was in heaven right now...if heaven smelled like cigarettes and had awesome acoustics.

A few more songs, and they both were a sweaty hot mess. Jesse went to get some beers, and Beca stood on the side, watching the deejay taking requests from the crowd. She wished she was up there, playing her own mixes, getting the crowd hype. Jesse came back, handing her a beer, and to Jesse's amusement, Beca nearly downed it in one gulp. Beca knew it was a mix of the dancing, and the heat, but also being in New York that allowed her to be so open, so unguarded. She swayed a bit, not used to drinking much, but there Jesse was, steady against her, pushing her hair aside and leaning her back against his chest.

They watched the crowd dance for awhile and Jesse suggested she drink water to cool off. Jesse walked back to the bar and the music changed. Beca stood against the wall, but she wasn't drunk. Tipsy, maybe, high from being with Jesse and smelling his cologne. _Good, he smelled good. _She noticed that all week, how good he smelled as they laid in the white hotel sheets, her face burrowed in the crook of his neck while they slept, his arms wrapped around her, protective, loving.

She looked for him over at the bar, he was getting their bottled water. He's always worried about her. Always trying to make sure she was okay. When she came to Barden, she had no intention on falling in love...or talking to people at all. Her only hope was that she'd get kicked out and her father would buy her that ticket to L.A. But since that first day in radio station, she's been irrevocably bound to Jesse, even when she fought against it. And it's here, on the sweaty dance floor in New York, she's resigned to wanting to just call him her soulmate, even though the whole idea is weird and way too intense for a nineteen year old to handle. But she doubted she could be in love with anyone like she loves him, even so young. Suddenly, she wasn't in the mood to dance anymore, she was suddenly horny as fuck.

Jesse approached with two bottles of water, but Beca didn't want to dance anymore. She grabbed his arm and tugged him back into the night air of New York and they were in a cab, headed back to the hotel. Beca was super quiet the whole cab ride. Jesse kept looking over at her, wanting to know if something happened, if he did anything wrong. The cabbie's music was tantalizing, making the situation even more intense for Beca, and even though Jesse wasn't sure what make of her abruptly yanking him from Pacha, she was pretty certain she was going to fuck his brains out back at the hotel. The Weeknd's _Wicked Games_ blared from the radio, and Beca closed her eyes and let the words enter her brain. Jesse was gonna get it, for sure.

_I got my heart right here_

_I got my scars right here_

_Bring the cups baby, I could bring the drink_

_Bring your body baby, I could bring you fame_

_And that's my motherfucking words too_

_Just let me motherfucking love you_

With her eyes still closed, Beca reached across the seat of the cab and intertwined her fingers with Jesse. She could feel him staring at her, and she wondered if he only knew how wound up she was right now.

After Jesse paid the cab driver, they rode the torturously slow elevator to their room. He licked his lips as he watched the numbers change. When he did that, it just made her hornier. She wanted to jump him there, if there wasn't an old couple in there with them. They approached the room door and Jesse pulled out his card, and looked her oddly. She knew she was acting weird, not speaking, but she wanted him so bad, she felt like she was going to start saying really crazy stuff that was too dirty for the hall of the nice hotel they were in. _Best to get inside_. Inside the room, Jesse walked in, turning to look at her.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded silently, shutting and locking the door behind her. "Yep," she shrugged. "I'm just...going to wash up."

He just stared at her for a moment, before making a small sound. Beca whisked past him to the bathroom, she wanted to wash the smell of cigarette smoke and sweat off of her before she started to seduce her unsuspecting boyfriend. Beca locked the door for good measure and stripped down, before turning on the shower. She let the water hit her, and sober her up a little, because she wanted every cell of hers to be fully aware of what she was about to do with Jesse. Sure they have had sex plenty during the week, but she just really wanted to make love to him. She wanted to initiate it, wanted to be the one to make him weak in the knees.

Out of the shower, Beca grabbed the towel and dried herself off. She let the steam around her dissipate before she took one more look in the mirror. Time to be a siren, Beca Mitchell. She thought of all the pep talks Chloe had given her about being confident in moments like these. In a way, those talks had been preparing her for this. Sure, she'd seen Jesse naked before, but she'd never taken control and pushed his buttons this way. But, being here with him in New York, not thinking of the Finals, or anything, she's just focused on him. Unlocking the door, she saw Jesse was sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked up at her and gave a small smile, which faded when she dropped her towel. His adam's apple bobbed up and down along his masculine neckline, and she slowly walked over to him, not breaking eye contact. Beca stepped between his legs, and he looked up at her with those big brown eyes.

"Hey."

"Hi," he said, softly.

Beca didn't smile, didn't lighten the moment as her finger trailed his jawline. He just kept looking at her like some mystical creature. He did that the first time they had sex, like if he blinked or spoke, she'd turn into a puff of smoke. Her finger dropped to the the buttons of his shirt and she began to slowly unbuttoned each. She pushed the shirt down only around his bare shoulders, letting her hands trail down his clavicle and to the fine hairs on his chest. Jesse inhaled deeply, reaching for her, his hands delving into her hair and pulling her lips to his. She allowed it, momentarily, but she remembered she was supposed to be in charge.

She pulled back and Jesse whimpered.

Her hands slid his shirt completely off. "Lay back."

He did as she commanded, closing his eyes as his back hit the duvet. Beca's hand made quick work of his belt and then his zipper. She pulled his pants off, and then his boxers. They were both fully exposed now, and the sound of the traffic outside, and the buzz of air vent was all that filled the room, but Jesse's breathing was amplified by all of that. She'd never given a blow job before, never wanted to. The idea of a penis in her face was never appealing. Stacie talked about it enough; Beca just never saw why anyone would want that, like..._in their mouth_. Jesse seemed to enjoy giving her oral sex, and she enjoyed accepting it, but now, after this wonderful week with him, she wants to do this with him.

She leaned down, and his breathing became shaky as her mouth wrapped around him, her lips in a soft 'o'.

"Fuck," he murmured. "Oh my god."

That sounded like a good reaction. She bobbed slowly, and her hands wrapped around his base. That went on for a few minutes, Beca tried different paces and it seemed to be working, she could hear Jesse muttering curses under his breath, before he reached down and pushed himself up.

"Beca?"

She looked at him, wondering if she did something wrong. She wasn't very practiced, but she thought things were going pretty well. "Yeah?"

"I love you," he said softly, and he reached out for her, pulling her on the bed with him. She felt his soft plump lips trail across her skin as she gasped her own "_I love you_" into the air.

* * *

She was tired and whoever was making her phone buzz like that, at whatever _fucking_ time it was, was going to die. Jesse's arm was draped across her and she finally sat up, rubbed her eyes, and grabbed her phone.

"What?" she hissed. The barrage of crying from the other end made her wake up. "Wait, Ashley? Calm down...is everyone okay?...What happened?"

Jesse began to stir, and he looked at her as she pushed off the bed, wearing one of his wife beaters.

"Whoa...hold...He did _what_?! Where is Amy?"

Jesse looked at the clock, it was three o'clock in the morning. They'd only been asleep for twenty minutes.

"They locked all of you out the house?... Did you call Donald?... Tell Lily to call Donald!...What do you mean he turned off his phone?...Donald wouldn't...Is that Stacie?...Tell her to drive safely, it's early still...What the fuck is a mass dumping?"

At that, Jesse sat up and watched Beca pace at the foot of the bed. Something about his eyes made her stop and look at him as Ashley went on to tell her Bumper broke up with Fat Amy, Donald broke up with Lily, and Brendan blew off Reagan, and then they kicked the girls out of the house. Jesse's face said it all. _Jesse knew_...it dawned on her. Jesse knew they had planned this, for whatever reason, they planned this fucked up mind game of dumping the girls right before the Finals and embarrassing them by having their stuff sitting outside the beach house when they got back from dinner. The girls thankfully had driven their own van, and were on their way back to school. And Jesse, _her Jesse_, was sitting here, looking at her with this guilty look on his face. It was just too much.

"Call me when you get there okay? Call me," she hung up but she never broke eye contact with Jesse.

"You knew." She wasn't asking. She could tell he knew.

He looked as if he wanted to deny it, but he wasn't going to lie to her. He closed his eyes, "Bumper had this stupid idea that if we all broke up with the Bellas at the same time, you'd be too shaken to compete in Finals or something stupid like that. Donald didn't want to do it at first, but...you know, distance between him and Lily made things a little easier. Brendan just does whatever Bumper wants."

Beca's blood began to boil. She knew that troll fucker would do this. Fat Amy was probably devastated, because she genuinely liked that pompous asshole. Then, there was Jesse._ What was his part in this?_ "And what about you? What's your part in this? To break up with me too?"

He looked shocked she even had to ask. "No. I love you. You know I do, and of course, I said no. I didn't want us in all of that, so I planned to be as far away from that shit as possible."

"So that's what this trip was for?"

"No! I planned this for months. I wanted to do this for you!"

She looked at him incredulously. "You could have warned them. They're my friends. They're your friends too!"

Jesse looked down and played with the sheet. "You're right. I...I just...I just knew, unlike them, I wasn't willing to lose you over some stupid singing competition."

Beca shook her head. "You should have told me. I could have warned them what those assholes were planning. Lily...Amy...Reagan. You should have told me, Jesse!"

Jesse moved to get up. "Look, I was going to, okay? I didn't think they would really do it! I was like, _who thinks of fucked up shit like that_? I would never hurt you. _Ever._ I wasn't even sure they would do it!"

Beca stepped away from him, hurt filling her eyes. "You should have told me. And you did hurt me. You let my friends get hurt."

"Beca-"

"You should have said something," she stomped to the bathroom and slammed the door.

**The Weeknd- Wicked Games**

**Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist**

**Up next...Finals.**

*****Also I did some editing. I re-watched the movie and completely forgot they go to the Lincoln Center for their Finale. Maybe I was too busy looking at Skylar Astin's face to pay attention. Anyway, I went back to chapter one and had to edit a few things, doesn't change the story much but it sets up for this. Sorry for the change, I just like staying with the details.**


	14. Chapter 14

"Aubrey, please...calm your tits."

"What? These tits? Are fucking yoga, Beca," the blonde brushed her bangs away from her reddened face. Beca knew when the news hit Aubrey, the shit would hit the fan. "Know why? Because I knew this would happen. Was I wrong?"

Before Beca could answer, Aubrey put up her hand. "Nope. I'm not wrong. I knew they were douche nozzles."

Beca nodded her head, she pretty much agreed the Trebles were a merry band of assholes at this point. "Yeah, they definitely study some manual for assholes. It's just I wish I could have seen it coming."

Aubrey felt vindicated in her original assertion, no Treble should be allowed to date a Bella. "This has happened before, ya know! Uh huh. The mass dumping of 1998."

"Okay, wait…what?" Beca gave Chloe a look on the other side of her Skype box and the redhead looked just as confused. "Why would you remember that?"

"So we won't make the same mistakes as our fore sisters. This is straight from the Treble handbook of sabotage. This is why the ban was reinstated in 1998."

"Was that the one when the girl went down on the-"

"No! The Bellas captain dated a Treble for three years, okay…three whole years, which is like…engagement serious, right… and on the night of the Ring Dance...he dumped her!" Aubrey's arms flailed dramatically. "…for her roommate. These are the sick freaks we're dealing with."

"This is basically a soap opera," Beca had thought the ban was all in Aubrey's head. She hadn't realized how seriously fucked up and dramatic a capella could be. "Except with a group of dorks."

"...and that, ladies, is why we never date Trebles," Aubrey huffed, causing Beca to roll her eyes, knowing the blonde could see her through the webcam.

Chloe was a little more sympathetic; she was more concerned with how Fat Amy and Lily were doing. "Are they okay?"

"I've never seen Amy like this, you know. She's always so confident, self-assured. But now she's just moping around. It took me all day to get her to go to class. Lily's the one I'm worried about, though. Donald might wake up one day with her hovering over him with a cleaver," Beca ran her hands through her hair and blew out a breath. "I just...I knew Bumper was up to something."

"Of course he was. He's a Treble. They can't be trusted. Any of them. They are all evil," Aubrey stated.

"That's not true," Chloe said optimistically. She was always trying to see the positive. "Jesse and Benji are good guys."

"Jesse. I forgot about him," Aubrey said, taking a deep breath and focusing a hard stare on Beca. "Right. So...Beca, you broke up with him right?"

"Uh, what?" She didn't think she heard Aubrey correctly.

Chloe looked shocked. Even she thought Aubrey had gone too far. "Oh my god, Aubrey. Beca don't listen to her."

"Seriously, we're not even having this discussion," Beca straightened her back and looked defiantly at Aubrey.

Unfortunately, Aubrey was on such a tear, Beca's resistance had to be broken. "You have to, he's one of them, and look at what he did! This is war Beca!"

"_One of them_? War? What is this? Game of Thrones?"

Aubrey's anger vein in her forehead was now prominent. "He lied to you. He knew what they were going to do. He hurt your friends. I'm so serious. It's him or us, Beca."

_There it was_. Aubrey had thrown down the gauntlet...again. Beca's entire first year at Barden, she had chosen the Bellas, she had refused to acknowledge her feelings. She simply decided to ignore her feelings for Jesse. She pushed him so far away, she even she was surprised at the distance. But now, despite the past week's events, she's confronted with that choice once again. The train ride back was torture. She'd rather had been on the worst days of her period than deal with the crap that was piled on her relationship. She was fuming, rightfully furious with him, and he knew it.

_He was in fucking trouble. _

_Their last night in New York was supposed to be magical, and it was until the phone call. The rest of the night was him knocking on the bathroom door, asking for her to come out and talk to him. She was able to ignore him until she saw the light switch off under the base of the door. Even then she waited a full hour (she almost fell asleep against the toilet) before slipping out of the bathroom and on her side of the bed, where she laid so close the edge she thought she might fall off. She could hear him breathing, he was awake and he wanted to say something, but he knew better. He knew it was best to remain silent, and to definitely not reach over and touch her._

_Now they just sat in an awkward silence in the club car, Beca watching the scenery whiz by them. He followed her there, even though she has perfected the silent treatment he was getting and was hoping it would make him keep his distance. Who was she kidding? This was Jesse she was talking about. Jesse ordered coffee, and was looking at his cell phone and back at her every five minutes, as if his creepy stare off would prompt her to speak. When he wasn't looking,_ _Beca's cold eyes traced the stubble on his defined chin, because despite her anger and the utter betrayal he had shown, he looked kind of hot. _

_She took note of how delicately he held his coffee cup with both strong hands, the strong hands that held her all week. Hands that roamed her body. _Whatever._ Those hands were attached to a lying liar who lies as far as she was concerned. Her hard brow lifted to see he was just staring into the cup now, unable to look at her face of disappointment. _

_Suddenly, he spoke up, "Alright, here it is, because I can't take the silence anymore. I know I messed up. And for that, Bec, I am so sorry. I didn't think it was going to be like this, and I should have told you, I should have warned Amy...I..."_

_His mouth is opened and he stalls a minute, searching for words before he finally looked up at her, the rims of his eyes red. "Look at me, I never cried in front of a girl."_

_Her eyes only went colder at his lie (he cried watching Forrest Gump before, so, that was a weak ploy for her sympathy and he knew it) so he recanted. _

_"Okay, except I did cry that time in front of my mom and my sister's entire girl scout troop when I was eight. But this is real emotion. You know what? Screw it, let's be honest. I don't want to lose you. Not over Bumper. Not over the Trebles. I never meant to hurt you, or any of your friends. That was never my intention. I just thought that maybe, I don't know...I was only focused on you. I didn't think they would do it. I guessed wrong. I thought Bumper really liked Amy, at least, it seemed that way. And yeah, okay, I'm sorry I kept the secret, and yeah... I'm sorry I made you angry, but I'm not sorry I got you to myself for a whole week and I'm not sorry I didn't break up with you."_

_Beca seemed unamused. "Is that an apology? Is that what that was?"_

_"Yes. Maybe, sorta," he shrugged._

_Jesse's declaration did touch Beca in the spot where her cold dark heart was still beating. She'd admit she loved hearing him spill his heart out like that. But regardless, he had done something wrong. In a way she felt betrayed. And for that, he must be punished._

_"Well your little theory that Bumper was using her...to do something like this," Beca hissed. "Tell me that's not ridiculous."_

_"It is. I told him so. He wouldn't listen. He said the Trebles before us did it. Tradition or whatever."_

_"New tradition, whenever I see him, I kick his face in."_

_Jesse recoiled at her tone. "Um…that was…scary."_

_"Good."_

_"You got a little crazy on your face there," he lifted a finger and swiped at her chin. She dodged him but playfully knocked away his hand._

_"Watch it," she said, still stone faced, but the mood was becoming lighter. She was still white hot angry, but she couldn't stay mad at Jesse long. "I'm still mad at you, by the way."_

_"I know. I deserve it. But honestly, I think Bumper's already hurt himself," Jesse shook his head when Beca let out a bitter chuckle, "No, I honestly don't think he's as hateful as we all think. I know you hate him, rightfully too, but hear me out. I think Bumper really does like her. But his inner nature is this insecure asshole and the only thing he feels good at is leading the Trebles."_

_"So? He doesn't have a conscience? He loves a capella so much he decides to hurt Amy, Lily, and Reagan, just to win?"_

_"Well...yeah. That's totally it. Sounds mega stupid in normal human terms but for someone like Bumper...he's never really had a girlfriend no matter how much he lied that he has, and I think Amy was the closest to it, and he just, maybe he freaked out and decided to pull this stunt."_

_"You're right, it does sound stupid. What are we, twelve?"_

_"No, I knew the moment I heard it, how stupid it was. Brendan and Reagan weren't all that serious, he's rarely serious about anything. As for Donald, he liked Lily just fine, but I do think Donald was sort of ready to move on, he wasn't into long distance relationships."_

_"Well…then break up with her like a man. You call her, you send her a fucking email, hell, tweet it. One hundred and forty characters. Something like- Let's Breakup. Hashtag I hate you, Hashtag I'm a tool. But you don't invite her to Myrtle Beach and lock her out of the house."_

_Jesse looked back at his coffee cup. "Hashtag- Someone's angry."_

_"Do you really want to mock me right now?" Beca frowned._

_Jesse waved his hands in the air. "You're right. I know. I agree. That's what a real man would do. I just...wanted to let you know why I didn't think they would go through with it. Bumper likes Amy. He really likes her."_

_"He has an interesting way of showing it," Beca sighed. "The assturd."_

_Jesse looked honestly at her. "I'm just saying Bumper is the villain here, but maybe he's not the evil villain."_

_Beca rested her chin on her palm. "He's the Penguin from Batman Returns."_

_"I don't ever want to presume what's in Bumper's jacked up psyche. I just…I've seen him at his most douchiest, and I've seen this guy whose actually looking for a friend. And us…you and me...we've worked so hard this past year, I don't care about the Trebles, I will walk away if I need to. I just don't want you to think I wanted any of this to happen."_

She took in his tired appearance, the hint of stumble because neither of them got much sleep, their last night mixed with the clubbing, the sex, and then the arguing. He was wearing a dark hoodie and white tee, and part of her wanted to rip it off of him and shame the small table in the club car. The other part was genuinely hurt, but mostly, for her friends. She didn't doubt Jesse loved her, especially after that week. She loved him too, and even stewing in her anger, she wanted to be with him. It's stupid, and ridiculous, and too way fucking girly to be honest. Anyone else, and she would have banished them from her presence.

He was sitting there on that train, behind declarations of love and apologies, chipping away at her anger wall. She wanted to hate him for that, but she couldn't. Her mind and heart didn't work in sync anymore. Beneath the façade of a hardened emotional shell, she could honestly say she's kind of sad they ended their week on this bad note. Here he was, telling her he'd gladly walk away from the friends he made with the Trebles, from singing his favorite pop songs, from performing on stage to cheering crowds…_for her_. _Who the fuck wouldn't melt at that? _

Jesse's got a little game. He's definitely good with the emotional Jedi Mind Trick he just did there. But like he said, no matter how angry she was, she was not willing throw them away just yet. So, Aubrey can shut her face.

"Yeah so...no, I'm not breaking up with Jesse," she said quietly, causing Aubrey to gasp.

"What?! Beca-"

"I'm not going to break up with him," Beca replied, more pointedly.

"Do you hear what you are saying? He was in this-"

"Let's move on-"

"We're not finished talking about this Beca. I'm not off of this Jesse situation."

Beca crossed her arms. "You'd be smart to get off of my boyfriend and get your own."

Both Chloe and Aubrey looked at Beca in shock. Chloe's face tried to mask her amusement.

"Shut it Aubrey," Chloe flashed Beca a teasing smile. "She loves him. She's not going to break up with him because you said so. It's just like the Trebles are doing. We'd be no better."

"Thank you," Beca offered to Chloe, ignoring the miffed Aubrey on her screen. "We're not talking about this again. Ever. Okay?"

"Whatever," Aubrey rolled her eyes.

With that Beca sought to get them back on track. "Now this is where I really need you guys to help. How do I make the girls forget this and just go straight for the jugular? Revenge is a dish best served cold...or some shit like that, right?"

* * *

"Hey Amy, ya going to practice?" Stacie asked, looking at Beca as they were leaving the room to go to practice. Before Stacie came to walk her over, Beca had already tried to get Amy to get up for twenty minutes. Finally, she just gave up.

"No, I'm going to sit this one out. Mental Health Day, ya know? Gonna just sit here, in my jammies, and watch..." she looked at the television screen she'd been ignoring for the last hour. "This infomercial on this chicken rotisserie. Yep, always wanted one of those. Nice juicy chickens."

Stacie sat on Amy's bed and looked her. "You need to get up and go with us to practice. You need to leave the room. It's been a week."

"I go to class. Can't a girl get a little me time?"

Beca cleared her throat and shut the door, seeing as they weren't leaving anytime soon. Time for an intervention. "You've been wearing the same pajama pants for three days. And you're talking about roasting chickens."

"I have no one to impress," Amy shrugged.

Stacie looked genuinely concerned. " Is this about what happened at the beach? Wanna talk about it?"

When they got back to Barden, Amy tried to blow it off like nothing was wrong but she knew better. She stopped being so talkative, and so out there. She wasn't her usual self.

"No Stacie, I don't want to talk about it," Amy mumbled. "You were there. You know the story. _Girl likes guy, guy lies about liking girl, girl and boy talk every day, go out, she drops all her other prospects, even rubs his acne medicine on his back for him…guy invites her to the beach, then unceremoniously dumps her and all her shit outside on the porch in the middle of the night._ It's a classic love story, like Romeo and Juliet."

"What he did to you...I hate him for you," Beca replied.

Stacie nodded. "Me too. I told you I'd punch him in the face for you. I know a guy who knows a guy who can take him out if you want….if you know what I'm saying?"

"You know a guy who knows a guy?" Beca tried to make sense in Stacie's words. "We're not the mafia."

"Here's the thing. I don't hate him. I kinda still like him a little bit. Maybe even love him," she looked at her fellow Bellas' surprised expressions. "What am I talking about? No, I don't love him. Ain't nobody got time for that."

"You love him?" Beca asked.

"No. Uh uh. I don't know...maybe," Fat Amy offered her a small smile. "But again, I also love red velvet cake. So, the question is, what is love?"

"I'm so sorry, Amy," Stacie reached out and held her friend's hand for support. "He doesn't deserve you. He is an unlovable sloth who will get a burning STD and pay for his crimes. Now put on a bra and some real pants and let's go to practice."

Amy opened her mouth to blow it off with another humorous comment but stopped and looked honestly at her friends. "Maybe, he was ashamed of me. Maybe I wasn't pretty enough? Maybe he found someone else."

Beca was shocked to see Amy with any insecure feelings. But relationships bring that out in you, it's certainly brought it out in her and Jesse.

She shook her head and gave her roommate a smile. "What are you talking about? He just lost out on the sexiest bitch on this campus."

Amy smiled. "Yeah, he kind of did. This is a lot of sexy."

"-Too much." Stacie agreed.

"Women pay for these boobs, ya know?"

"-I would," Beca agreed. "Totally."

"Too big for me but I know guys who would play with them for days," Stacie offered.

Amy was quiet for a moment and looked sheepishly at her friend. "He lost out, Bumper did. He's just an asshole. A stupid short asshole, whose afraid of spiders and puppets."

"I know a spider guy too, if you want to do that to him." Stacie assured.

"No thanks, whatever..." Amy perked up a bit. "Fine, I'll go to practice. Someone has to show Stacie how to stay in step anyway."

"Hey!"

"Yeah, yeah. But seriously, do I have to put a bra on?"

"Yes!" Both girls squeaked.

* * *

They were getting back to normal. Beca was studying for her upcoming finals, having pushed her grades up to a respectable place this semester. Things were looking up, but her girls were still in a rut. Lily had completely shut down, no longer speaking, just staring and making everyone afraid of what was going on in her head. Beca was working hard to create a set for them to win, with Chloe and Aubrey's assistance. She was going to win back the dignity that was taken from them, one way or the other.

Oddly enough, she'd yet to see the troll who started all of this. Jesse said he hadn't seen Bumper at the house at all, thinking maybe he was laying low.

"Let's play a game." Beca said and Jesse looked up from studying.

"Kinky. Clothes on or off?"

She ignored his stupid question and tapped her pen against her bag. "Let's call it '_If I wanted to find Bumper, and make him cry like a girl, where would he be?_'"

"I told you, he's in hiding," Jesse sighed. "Brendan actually told me Bumper's taking this mass dumping kind of hard. They all are. Brendan texted Reagan but she sent back '_You're an asshole_' with a picture of an asshole and everything."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. But Osama Bin Bumper is hiding in a cave somewhere."

"He should be afraid."

"Side bar, while you're threatening Bumper just now, you're hot when you get all homicidal," Beca piffed as Jesse continued. "But Bumper's just down in the dumps, everyone is saying. Proving my theory, he likes Fat Amy."

"That troll doesn't have human feelings. Your theory is flawed."

Before Jesse could answer, Beca heard the voice of the douche king behind her. "You guys are talking about me?"

She turned slowly in her chair, seeing a pathetic looking Bumper standing behind her. His face almost looked childlike and hurt. Beca however, didn't give too much of a shit. She felt an intense need to punch something, Bumper's face number one on her list.

Her face hardened. "You must have a death wish."

Jesse could sense this would escalate quickly so he warned, "Maybe we should go outside and-"

"Before you attack me, can I say something?" Bumper ignored Jesse, and asked Beca as he approached slowly.

"There's not much I want to hear from you."

"I know. I'm just...look-"

"No, you look. How could you? How dare you?! What the fuck was going through your small ass mind when you thought that brilliant plan up?"

"Whoa! I..it wasn't-" he tried talking but Beca was too ready to lay in to him.

"No forget your excuses, you piece of shit. You hurt Amy. She cared about you, and like the limp dick I knew you were, you preyed on that!"

With Beca's voice raising, Jesse started to get nervous as eyes fell on them. "Hey guys, maybe we should take this outside and-"

But when Beca was in a rage, she didn't care if she had an audience. "You did that for a competition? How pathetic of you! And guess what, you'll still get smoked."

Beca was yelling now and Jesse looked around to see most of the library staring at them.

Bumper just stood there, taking it all in, even though he weakly tried to explain. "Bro, help me-"

Jesse looked perplexed. "What do you want me to do? I'm not going to stop her if she hurts you man!"

Beca, despite her size was very intimidating. "I should punch your face in, but I don't want to give you the pleasure of pressing charges."

Bumper grimaced and stepped away. "Why are you so violent? Like, why do you always want to hurt my face?"

"You know why."

"Why do you hate my face so much?" Bumper shrugged.

"Because it's attached to the rest of you, which I also hate." Beca was getting irritated.

"That's mean. You really know how to hurt a guy."

"What you're doing now is why I want to rip your face off. You deflect, but it doesn't deflect from the fact you're a horrible person. You better stay away from her," Beca grabbed her bag and threw a glance at Jesse before returning the cold stare back at Bumper. "I look forward to making you eat shit at Finals. Jesse, I'll talk to you later."

"But wait-" Bumper tried to talk but Beca stormed at past him, shoulder bumping him and leaving him in the aftermath of her rage.

Bumper rubbed his shoulder and looked over at Jesse, who was gingerly packing up his stuff since his study session was now ruined. "She's always so angry. Just...really angry. Your little girlfriend is a scary little thing. I was worried about the little Asian one killing me, but I'm definitely more afraid of Beca."

Jesse rolled his eyes. "Dude, you should be. I'm surprised blood wasn't shed."

Bumper sighed and Jesse took in his tired appearance. "I just...I was trying to talk to her."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"You really thought you were going to talk to Beca? She hates you. Always have. You just sealed the deal."

"Okay, so what we did was fucked up. I knew that the moment we locked the door on them, but it was too late to stop it. I was trying to, I don't know...apologize?"

"Bullshit. I'm sorry but that's bullshit, Bumper. We all told you it was stupid to begin with."

Jesse watched Bumper shift his feet. "It was...for the competition. I want...wanted...to win."

"Is that all that matters to you? Winning the ICCAs?"

"Well yeah, right?! We deserve to win."

Jesse put his bag on his shoulder. "That's sad, man. You lost out on a good girl and now you're about to suffer the wrath of the Bellas all because of a singing contest?"

"A contest?! That's why you lost. I was the reigning champion of the ICCAs until last year when you guys lost!"

"Memory serves but you left us! To go sing backup on a record for fucking John Mayer, who let's be honest, no one takes seriously anymore. You have no loyalty, Bumper. That is the problem. You have to make friends, you don't just get them."

"Who the fuck are you to tell me I don't have any friends?" Bumper frowned. "I have friends. I have Brendan-"

"Not your friend, he's scared of you."

"Donald."

"Was your friend but he's annoyed with you.."

"Is not. How would you know?"

"He texted me and told me,_ I am annoyed with Bumper._" Jesse showed him on his phone.

"Huh," Bumper bit his lip. "Um dweeb boy...what's his name? Benji-"

"That right there, is why he hates your fucking guts," Jess shrugged.

Bumper was getting upset. "Whatever, _Jesse_. Which, is a girl's name by the way. Not everyone was born all talented and shit, like you, or all popular like Donald, or built like a house like Uni. All I had was this, and I wanted to win."

"_Hey asswads, this is a library_!" Someone shouted.

Other shouts followed. "_Yeah, shut the fuck up_!"

Jesse ignored the cat calls and looked squarely at Bumper. "I'll be your friend, Bumper. I'll be the only friend you've got right now and tell you the truth. You don't need another singing trophy."

"Oh and you're going to tell me what I need?" Bumper clucked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I am. What you need, is a self esteem."

Bumper was taken aback. "Uh, I'm Bumper. I'm confident as fuck, dude."

"You're not. And the sooner you learn that, the sooner you can fix things with Amy, before it's too late. If it's not already."

Bumper thought for a moment. Then suddenly, his face lit up. "I could sing to her."

"Ew, no. Apologize. Take her out. Buy her something sparkly. Whatever you do, you're going to have to do it on your hands and knees."

"No, shutup I'm thinking, " Bumper paused. "Yeah, I'll sing to her. Like Beca did to you at the Finals."

"You weren't even there," Jesse shook his head as he followed a scheming Bumper out of the library. "Dude, stop."

Bumper was slowly scrolling through his playlist. "Chicks dig that right? I mean, I thought it was gay when Donald showed me the video, but I can do it. How about _Half on a Baby_ by R. Kelly?"

Jesse shook his head emphatically.

Bumper scrolled again. "Hmmm...Biggie's _One More Chance_? _Sex on Fire_ by Kings of Leon?"

"This will end badly for you," Jesse tried to reason with him.

"Whatevs. Yeah, I'll sing to Amy, win her back, and do a couple of hip thrusts to the judges, and win this shit. You'll see."

"We're going to lose," Jesse sighed. "We're going to lose bad."

*****Will Bumper try to fix things? Will Beca hit him in the face? The Finals are coming! ((giggle))**

**For realz, grad school is alot of work. I mean, the projects are no joke. I am so sorry it seemed like I abandoned the story. I totally didn't. I swear I will finish this. We might be like, 80 years old by then but better late than never.****


	15. Chapter 15

"What did you pack in here? A dead body?" Cynthia Rose wheezed as she lifted the suitcases in the back of the van. Marty and Jessica were putting the other bags in too.

"Yes," was all Lily muttered before walking away.

Cynthia Rose set the bag down slowly and stared suspiciously at it. She turned to Beca and frowned. "We better believe her. I don't want to go to jail."

"She's just joking, right?" Beca shook her head before realizing this was Lily they were talking about. "Right?!"

They were on their way to New York to fight to keep their ICCA title. For the last few weeks, Beca had been drilling them, so much so she heard Fat Amy singing in her sleep once. They were more than ready. They were ready to defend what was theirs, what they worked so hard for last year.

"_My father always said, 'Second place is second place', Beca," Aubrey said to her in the last Skype conversation._

"_Wait, are you sure?" Beca feigned ignorance. _

"_Well it's not first."_

"_Is this a scientific fact?"_

_Aubrey frowned. "It's basic math."_

"_I was never good at math."_

"_You're making fun of me," Aubrey shook her head._

"_No I'm just trying to be sure of what second place means," Beca shrugged. _

"_It mean, not winning," Aubrey glared at her._

"_Gotcha."_

She was so sure they could pull it off, they had to, not just for win, they had to do it for morale purposes. Not to sound bitchy to their fellow a capella peeps but, they _deserved_ to win. The Bellas deserved to rock the shit out of that stage, backflip across it to get their trophy and then collectively shove it up Bumper's ass. Or at least that was her vision of winning.

After getting everything packed in, the Bellas piled into their rented van.

"Everyone ready?"

"I'm so ready for some New York penis," Stacie replied.

"Okay," Beca sighed. "Other than that?"

"Guys, maybe we should pray before we get on the road? Like a prayer circle. Seeing as we did rent the van that caught on fire that one time," Ashley offered.

"There's not that much fire damage. It was cheaper with our budget," Beca frowned, leaning back in her seat. "How fair is it the boys have their bus?"

Marty took her seat. "We need, like, a faculty sponsor or something."

"I think we have one, she like, went to rehab the year before last or something," Reagan took her seat beside Marty.

Beca shook her head. "Well, that sucks. At least she's getting the help she needs...I guess."

"Sponsor? I know a guy who knows a guy who can do that," Stacie looked up from her phone to say.

"You know alot of guys, in various ways," Fat Amy stated but Stacie was back on her phone texting.

"Okay okay. Settle down. Let's focus on what we have now. No, we don't have a coach bus to take us to New York but we have each other, and a working van, and my dad's triple A card in case this catches on fire again, and we're going to New York to kick ass, again," Beca tried to cheer them on. The girls looked at her blankly.

Cynthia Rose tried to help her. "Let the boys have their bus. We don't need a bus. We've got Fat Amy driving our sexy asses there. We're going to get to finally see the city, thanks to Beca. We're going to have fun!"

The girls smiled and settled in their seats. Beca mouthed a _thank you_ to Cynthia Rose.

"I hope their bus crashes and falls into the river after catching on fire," Fat Amy turned around to the girls gasping at her rage filled reply. Fat Amy buckled herself in nonchalantly.

"Amy!" Ashley squeaked.

Cynthia Rose replied, "That's fucked up. You just killed Benji."

"And Jesse," Beca said, buckling in.

"Fine," Amy started up the van. "Everyone else but Bumper survives, okay? So are we gonna do this fucking pray circle or what?"

* * *

She had just closed her eyes when he asked, "Are you excited about the Finale?"

"No."

"Liar."

"Truth."

"You're really not?"

She shrugged. She really just wanted to lay here, and feel his skin against hers. Not talk about her feelings about the ICCAs. For a second, she wanted to not think about them. Jesse had done a fine job distracting her earlier from doing just that. But she knew Jesse and she knew he wasn't going to let that happen all night. _Was she excited?_ A little, excited in the sense that she felt her girls were the best but nervous that there was a wildcard out there somewhere. After all, last year, _they_ were the wildcard.

Jesse rested his chin atop her head. "Okay, well, I'll start. For the first time, I'm totally nervous. Or anxious. I can't decide which. I was only like this once, when I first joined the chorus in high school. I mean here I am, the hot guy of the school-"

"Sure..." she rolled her eyes and he pinched her side.

"And I'm singing lead in Rent. I mean, what a rush."

"You sure had some very high scale musical productions at your school," she said, her brow furrowed. "Spring Awakening, Rent. I think we only did really off putting rendition of Annie."

"My teacher was on Broadway. Anyway, I'm getting that feeling again, like anything can happen."

"Is that defeat I hear in your voice?"

"Never. But admit it, you're a little excited too."

"I think I know myself."

"Do you? Do any of us really know ourselves?"

"Stop talking now. It's getting too deep."

"That's what she said."

"I wish you had a mute button."

As he laughed, his chest rose and fell, and Beca reveled in the vibration of laid in the darkness of her room. It was the night before they were leaving to go to New York. Fat Amy was slowly getting back to her old self, having found a guy to take her out for the night. Tomorrow, they would be rivals once again, wishing for the other to have egg on their face and lose big. It would all be laid out on the same stage they laid their relationship bare on. Tonight though, still at Barden, they were simply Jesse and Beca, they were together, holding each other, and listening to each other breathe.

His fingers stroked her scalp and she finally whispered out her true feelings. Not just a bitchy response. She was admitting this to herself more than to him. "Okay, so, I'm a little anxious."

"There it is."

"But I am. For the girls. They need this. They need to have something good happen to them. What if...there's a lot of competition out there. I mean, they just... I want to make what has happened up to them."

"You don't have to make it up to them. It wasn't your fault, " he said quietly. "You deserve to have that feeling too. You smiled so big last year, so bright, I never saw you be so happy. I think you deserve to have that feeling again."

"You're right. I deserve to win."

"To be clear, I mean, seriously, the Trebles are pretty fucking awesome ourselves. So you might deserve to win, but I'm not saying you're gonna," he smiled and she pushed at his side. He just snuggled closer and kissed her hair. "Seriously, whatever happens, just know, I'm very proud of you, Beca."

She was quiet for a moment, because Jesse was so sincere. He was proud of her ability to lead, of her strength, of her honesty no matter how it hurt. She's finally learned to fight for them (the Bellas and Jesse), to stop pushing him away, instead drawing him closer. He's proud of her for finally being the college student she is, getting her grades back together. She's made sacrifices, not going to L.A. as planned and not working at the radio station, but she's gained so much more, Beca thought. She's gained her friends, she's gained a reason to involve herself, she's gained a newer understanding of her father's position in her life, and she's gained Jesse. She closed her eyes and breathed him in.

"Hey," she felt his warm breathe whisper across her forehead and she looked up. "Did you fall asleep on me?"

Beca shook her head. "No, just thinking..."

"Uh oh. Who taught you to do that?"

"Shut up."

"I'm sorry."

"Just thinking how awesome it is to have my own personal cheerleader."

"Wearing the little skirt and everything. Screaming '_We are the Champions_' from the stands."

"No, no...that song from Chariots of Fire."

"You mean, the theme? Which is technically a score, not a song. "

"Yes score nerd, I mean that."

They both laughed this time, the slickness of their bodies and the heat was strong between them. She loved moments like this, just the two of them, naked, honest and cloaked in the dark like a cocoon. It took a lot to get to this point in their relationship, where she just wanted to lay in his arms and listen to him drone on about whatever Jesse-isms he had that day. Her arms were snaked around his solid frame, and Jesse despite his youth was a strong solid man. He might still be youthful, he might still be so immature as to eat Fruity Pebbles, but he was a man to her. He was her male equivalent, someone equally strong and proud.

"I'm proud of you too, ya know."

"But I haven't done anything. Wait, is this for that thing I did with my tongue earlier?"

"In general."

"Thank you," he bent down and left a hint of a kiss on her forehead. "Even if I win?"

"Jesse?"

"Yeah?"

She lifted her head up and moved over him slightly, her eyes focusing in the dark. She found his eyes staring back at her, amused, bewildered at her sudden movements. She said nothing for a moment, just leaned over him, her hair falling like curtains around them both. His smile faded a bit; maybe he was nervous, or aroused, or both. Either was good enough for her. Her hand laid across his chest, the hard muscles perked underneath. _Aroused, definitely_. Beca leaned down, getting so close their lips were brushing against each other, her smile spreading as she whispered, "You won't be winning..."

* * *

"Okay, who ordered the rain?" Beca muttered as they unloaded their van in front of the hotel. It was right across the street from the theatre, which was awesome, but unfortunately it was pouring cats and dogs and there was no fun way to see the city for the girls.

They formed a line to get all of their things off the van and protected by the hotel awning. _Nothing like a little teamwork_, Beca thought proudly.

Just like that, the Treblemakers bus pulled in front of the hotel and settled to a stop, letting out a blast of black exhaust in the girls' direction. The Bellas yelped and dove out the way, coughing as the bus doors flew open and the Trebles began to file out. Beca put her hand over the lids of her eyes to shield her vision. The boys filed out looking over at the Bellas and a few smirked. _Assholes_.

But the one she most wanted to punch was Bumper, who filed off and looked over at them, his face blank and stupid.

Benji walked off the bus and then Jesse, and they noticed the Bellas standing in the rain right away.

The boys both jogged over. Jesse pulled his hood back a bit in the rain and looked at Beca. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, just hunting elephants," Beca said sarcastically. She blew a wet strand of hair out of her eye. _Seriously, boys sometimes. _

He pursed his lips at her usual snarkiness. "Smartass. Do you need help with your bags?"

"Should we trust a Treble? How do we know you're not trying to sabotage us?" Jessica asked.

"We wouldn't, " Benji replied, honestly. "Just want to help."

He shoved his hands into his jeans and ducked as the rain hit them. Jesse looked over to Beca.

"I promise not to throw your bag in the river."

"Let them do the grunt work; my new shirt is getting soaked through," Stacie replied.

"Um, did you wear a bra today?" Cynthia Rose asked as the water made Stacie's shirt see through and suddenly very clingy.

"Of course not," Stacie replied, gingerly.

After the guys helped unload the bags, Beca gave the keys to the valet who parked the van for them. They all stood in separate groups in the hotel lobby, being in the same place all together since the spring break up blitz attack. The girls were shooting daggers at the boys who tried to focus on everything in the lobby but the other group while Bumper and Beca stood at the counter, checking in.

"Your room keys," the concierge smiled, handing Beca the keys. Bumper looked up in the air, poking out his cheeks. She could see him catching glimpses of Fat Amy, and trying to act as if the art deco of the lobby was very interesting suddenly. _Boys are stupid_, was all Beca could think. She took the keys and glared at Bumper one more time before going back to the girls.

"All checked in," Beca glanced over at Jesse, giving him a small wave.

"Let's get out of this lobby," Fat Amy replied as Bumper approached his group near by. "Something smells foul in here. Like garbage."

As the girls walked towards the elevator, Beca could have swore she saw a hurt look on Bumper's stupid face.

* * *

"You can't tell me not to shout YOLO."

"It's just so stupid. I am simply saying the complexities of a YOLO existence is just ridiculous. You can't do drugs, drink, eat carbs and still shout YOLO because you are literally shaving time off of your life. You obviously don't want to live and therefore are in fact suicidal."

"That's stupid."

"Here's stupid. You drank two red bulls and haven't eaten a vegetable in six days. Not YOLO bro, not YOLO."

"How about you YOLO on my nuts?"

Beca and Fat Amy looked wide eyed as the doors opened and inside the elevator were about half of the Trebles, including Bumper. As usual, the idiots were in the midst of one of their many stupid conversations, this one about YOLO. Beca looked over at Amy for confirmation to get on the elevator with them, and Fat Amy straightened her shoulders and sashayed right in. The boys shifted to the other side and Beca jammed her finger against the button to go down. Tonight was the night. The competition was on. The girls were on their way down later, but Chloe had flown in to support them so she was going to greet her in the lobby.

She tried to ignore the fact they were sharing a confined space with Hat, Uni, Brendan, Kolio, and Bumper. They rode down in silence for the rest of the way, her back burning as she was sure they were all glaring at her. The ride was torturously slow and she wanted so much for some wormhole to open up and get her to the lobby faster. Beca heard the sound of a wounded bird come from someone's throat, and she looked over to Amy whose eyes were burned straight ahead to the doors of the elevator. The sound happened again and Beca followed it to the back corner where Bumper stood.

He cleared his throat with this strange sound again, and she saw the other Trebles stare at him in confusing. _Was he trying to get her attention? _She hoped not. But he did it once more, his own stare focused on the back of Amy's head.

"Ahhhh-hemmmm," he grunted louder but Amy didn't flinch.

"Dude?" Brenda whispered and Bumper waved him off.

Of course. He wanted Amy's attention. Was he trying to psyche her out before the competition? That troll was so predictable. Beca regretted even getting on the elevator when she saw them. And why was it taking so long to get from the eight floor to the first? What kind of elevator was this? She should tell the concierge about the delay.

Bumper finally took the leap and said, "A-Amy-"

"This little shit is calling my name," Fat Amy chuckle bitterly before she whipped around, her eyes fierce and her finger pointed right in his face. "Did you hear him, Beca? Calling my name? His hearing loss from the night he locked me out of the house as I was yelling his name must have miraculously be cured!"

"Listen just-"

"No. You listen, you special fuck. Stay away from me. Matter of fact, get off the elevator."

Bumper looked a little befuddled at her request. "I can't. How do you expect me to-?"

"FIGURE IT OUT!"

Bumper looked so confused, and Beca can honestly say that is the one time she felt bad for Bumper Allen. He looked down at his maroon vest and then back at Fat Amy, softly saying, "Patricia, please-"

Beca's eyes widened. No one called her Patricia. No one.

"Don't you dare!" Fat Amy hissed. "You don't get to call me that!"

"What do I call you then? It's like, your name."

"You don't get to call me anything. Asshole!"

Bumper's eyes lowered and the boys cowered against the wall of the elevator. Beca placed her hands on Amy's arm. She'd never seen her so mad. Part of her was proud though, proud that Amy was finally able to let out her anger and hurt at Bumper.

The Treble shook his head and sadly replied, "I was just going to say you look really pretty."

"Oh I look pretty, Beca. Do you hear that?" Amy quipped bitterly, but Beca knew she wasn't really asking her.

Bumper at that point seemed miffed. "It was a compliment."

"Let me tell you something, you chubby little beanie baby bastard, you can take your compliments, and your too small vest and shove it up your ass. And your songs with John Mayer, sucked. That's right, I heard his tape. SUCKED. "

Bumper gasped. "Take that back!"

"Never!" Amy hissed defiantly.

"Come on," Beca said calmly, touching her friend's arm. "Come on Amy."

Despite Beca's plea, the two kept their eyes locked for a long moment, making everyone in the elevator uncomfortable. The elevator dinged as they reached the lobby, opening to an older couple stood outside waiting to board. When they saw no one was exiting the elevator and the girls were blocking the door, the couple seemed annoyed.

"Um, are you done here?" the waiting woman asked to everyone inside.

"I really have to got to the bathroom," her husband begged.

His wife looked at the strange group again. "He really does."

"I think we all do," Uni mumbled, looking over at Bumper who was still in the corner.

"I think Bumper already went on himself," Brendan mumbled back.

Beca looked from the couple and back over to Amy. "Amy, let's go."

Finally Fat Amy backed out of the elevator and crossed the lobby with Beca. Beca wasn't sure if it was unresolved sexual tension or hate she saw filter between them.

The boys filed out and around Bumper who looked devastated, but Beca couldn't focus on him now. She wanted to make sure Fat Amy was okay.

"Hey? Are you-?"

"I want to kick him in the face. Hard."

"I know but I don't want you to ruin your shoes," Beca tried to comfort her with a joke.

"That felt good," Amy said, smiling a little.

"I bet."

"He said I looked pretty," Amy's face suddenly dropped a bit. "What do you think he meant by that?"

Beca rubbed her friend's back, thinking about what Jesse had been trying to tell her. Bumper still carried a torch, obviously. She could be cruel and pour water on the torch by telling Amy he was just playing her, as usual. But she wasn't going to. Instead she told her the truth, "That you really do look pretty."

Amy gave her a honestly confused look as Chloe walked up to them. Beca stood up and hugged her.

"Chloe, hey."

"Hey guys! I just saw the Trebles walk out of here."

"Yeah. Had a little confrontation there in the elevator." Beca looked down at a smiling Amy.

Chloe frowned. "They were trying to tell Bumper not to go through with something. Bumper said he would anyway. What's that about? He said he had something to prove now."

"What?" Beca looked over at Chloe._ What were they planning?_

Chloe's eyes widened. "I don't know, but it's probably something big to win this whole thing. I hope we're on our game."

Amy slapped her legs as she stood up. "He can't do anything to us. Let the little troll bring it. Nothing he can do can get to us anymore. Especially me."

**~HAHAHAHA. You thought I was dead didn't you? I'm not. I'm still here. Thank you for all the messages checking up on me. I'm so sorry. The semester has ended now and I can focus on finishing this up. 2-3 more chapters. Also, writers block was a bitch and a half. And the worst thing about writer's block? You get ideas for other awesome stories other than the one you are struggling to write. It sucks.**


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